Looking at the huge field of brinjal cultivated by him, the smile on the face of farmer Shahidullah spread wider. Shahidullah said, "When I started brinjal cultivation 15 years ago, I could not have imagined such success."
Muhammad Shahidullah, a successful vegetable grower from Anwarkhali village in Pakundia upazila of Kishoreganj, is now an example for local farmers. At present, he is earning at least Tk 5 to 7 lakh a year by cultivating brinjal on 60 percent of his land.
Shahidullah was talking about the story behind his brinjal firming. He said he started cultivating vegetables with the training he got from his father. He did not give up even though he could not be successful at that time due to lack of proper training or government support.
He finally got success by planting brinjal on only 20 acres of land with the help of agriculture office 6 years ago. He has not looked back since then. He has already bought firming land with the money from the sale of brinjal and built a house too.
He is currently cultivating vegetables on 20 percent of his land near his home. Organic fertilizers are used more than chemical fertilizers in his lands. So, the cost is low and yield is greater. On an average, three workers work every day on Shahidullah's field. His sons also extended a helping hand in the firming.
In Pakundia upazila this time the production of vegetables is less but the farmers have benefited due to the good price. Shahidullah said the sale of brinjal is already in its final stage and the seedlings have been planted already.
He said that he is making a good profit by selling brinjal. He informed that he spends Tk 1.5 lakh on an average on that land every year and the income from the sale of brinjal throughout the year is about Tk 5 to 7 lakh.
Upazila Agriculture Officers also have a role behind my success, Shahidullah said. He added, he was assisted in various ways by Nadira, the Municipal Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer.
At present, if there is any major problem in vegetable cultivation, he takes the help of Upazila Agriculture Department. Seeing his success, many farmers in the area are now cultivating vegetables. Many also came to him for advice.
Neighboring farmer Golap Mia said his interest in vegetable cultivation grew after seeing the crops in Shahidullah's field. He has been cultivating vegetables on his for two years now.
Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Nadira said, “Shahidullah is a successful and exemplary vegetable grower. He has become prosperous from a state of unemployment through vegetable cultivation. Seeing him, many people in the area have become interested in vegetable cultivation too”.
Saiful Alamin, Upazila Agriculture Officer, said that Shahidullah is a shining example of a person who changed his socio-economic status by cultivating vegetables.
