Vegetable farming drives rural economy in top-ranking Jashore

Ranking at the top in vegetable production nationwide, Jashore district produces approximately 8.85 lakh tonnes of vegetables annually across 40,250 hectares of land, generating an estimated yearly revenue of Tk 2,655 crore.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Jashore, 1,16,735 farmers are actively engaged in vegetable cultivation across the district. Production is distributed across three main seasons: 4,64,125 tonnes during the Rabi season across 19,750 hectares; 2,69,825 tonnes in Kharif-1 across 12,550 hectares; and 1,51,050 tonnes in Kharif-2 across 7,950 hectares. Calculating at an average market price of Tk 30 per kilogram, the total annual output translates to roughly Tk 2,655 crore.

While Jashore's 30 lakh residents consume about 4 lakh tonnes annually, the remaining surplus of roughly 5 lakh tonnes is transported to Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, and other districts. Renowned hubs like Churamankathi, Satmail, Haibatpur, Kashimpur, and Bagandanga in Sadar upazila—alongside significant cultivation in Bagherpara and Monirampur—produce 39 diverse varieties of vegetables year-round using modern agricultural methods.

The region's bustling trade centers, anchored by the wholesale vegetable market at Satmail-Barinagar in Sadar upazila, dispatch truckloads of produce daily. Additionally, local farmers produce roughly 30 crore vegetable seedlings valued at Tk 25 crore across three hectares.

While local farmers like Shyamal Biswas, Tariqul Islam, and Barek Hossain highlight the profitability and sustainability of multi-crop and nursery farming, DAE Acting Deputy Director Md. Zahidul Islam Biswas noted that ongoing farmer training, modern irrigation support, and field-level monitoring continue to sustain Jashore's leading agricultural status. Local business leaders have also called for establishing vegetable-based food processing industries in the region to further benefit growers.

-EM