The farmers of Chatmohar Upazila in Pabna are making good profit by cultivating maize as the crop has a good price in the local markets.
The demand of maize has been increasing day by day. People consume maize. The crop is also used as food for domestic animals and fish.
Many farmers are now showing their interest to cultivate maize. However, the scenario was different in 10 to 15 years ago. Earlier, only a few farmers were used to cultivate maize.
The maize farmers can make a profit of around Tk 10 thousand to Tk 15 thousand from one Bigha of land.
Chatmohar Upazila Agricultural office sources said the target was to cultivate corn at some 1,050 hectares of land in the Upazila in this Robi season. However, the crop was cultivated at 1,450 hectares of land in the Upazila this year.
Ramjan Molla, a maize farmer of Boroguakhra village of the Upazila, said that the maize farmers can make net profit of Tk 10 thousand to Tk 15 thousand from one Bigha of land.
Another village of Ramnagar village of the Upazila, Munjil Hossain, said the cost of cultivating maize in one Bigha of land is around Tk 20 thousand. About 30 to 35 maunds of maize are harvested in one Bigha of land. Around Tk 10 thousand profit can be made by the corn farmers from one Bigha of land.
Bokul Hossain, farmer of Ramnagar village and Abdur Rashid, farmer of Bothor village of the Upazila said that different varieties of corns are cultivated by the farmers. The production and profit depend on the selection of varieties and care. Farmers get Tk 10 thousand to Tk 15 thousand by cultivating maize in one Bigha of land this year.
Chatmohar Upazila Agriculture Officer A. A Masum Billah said usually N K-40, S K-6702, Kaberi, Kohinoor and Sunshine varieties of maize are cultivated in the Upazila. Farmers sow the seeds of maize in October and November. Farmers harvest corn at the end of March and in April. The weather was favorable for maize cultivation this year. The farmers are being benefitted by cultivating maize.
