When the lucrative and tasty traditional tuber crops are on the verge of extinction throughout the country, the government, through the department of agriculture extension (DAE) has taken initiatives to bring back them to ensure protein and vegetables intake for the people. An ex director general (DG) of the DAE has been playing significant role to regain the name and fame of the crop.
Project director of the Tuber Crop Development Project (TCDP) Moklesur Rahman when contacted, said the objectives of TCDP was to multiply the vegetables production commercially, especially, strengthen socio-economic base of the disadvantaged people both in plain land and char area, involve women community in income generation activities.
The arrayal potato, widely known as Mete Aloo or Gachh Aloo is produced even on fallow land, ridges and least fertile land which requires no chemical fertilizer or harmful pesticides, while offer four to five times benefit than paddy, wheat or same crops for the farmers. Further, the environment-friendly crop survives in disfavourable climate like salinity and drought and easy to preserve round the year.
Now the country is experimentally exporting the crop to some European, Middle East and United States countries. If the production could be increased significantly they will do it massively in near future to bring foreign money. About 25 thousand tonnes of Mete Aloo are produced in the country which they are expecting to increase the same for 10 times within a few years.
DAE ex DG Dr. Mohamad Hamidur Rahman said the Bengali people are always taste-loving and likes the traditional dishes prepared with various local vegetables as tuber crop ground potato or Mete Aloo since centuries together. The taste and efficacy of the potato still a lucrative item for the Bengali people both in Bangladesh and neighboring India.
Hamidur Rahman said the traditional species are decaying faster due to change of food habit and modern invention of vegetables. Yet the Mete Aloo remains in the heart of the people. Considering the situation, the DAE as advised the by the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been encouraging the farmers to expand the farming in the country. Some other tuber crops invented by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institutes (BARI) and other research institutes are taken to fields for practicing by the farmers throughout the country.
During a visit and sharing ideas with the farmers through a filed days at Sadhuhati village of Jhenaidah Sadar upazila, the ex DAE director general told the Bangladesh Post that the Mete Aloo and some other tuber crops might help meet the vegetables demand in the country as well as export to some Middle East and European countries where the Bengali people live. It will also strengthen the socio-economic state of the rural farmers as the price is better even in local markets.
Dr Mohamad Hamidur Rahman advised the filed level DAE officials to monitor the field level activities for tuber crop including Mete Aloo development. About a hundred of farmers including women participated in the daylong field days where they exchanged their views about the production and harvesting procedure and financial aspect of the crop.
Presided over by DAE Jhenaidah district deputy director Asgar Ali, Dr. Mohammad Hamidur Rahman attended as chief guest. TCDP project director (PD) Moklesur Rahman, Regional agriculture research station (RARS) senior scientific officer Babul Anwar, Horticulture research centre deputy director Bibhas Chandra Saha and Jhenaidah Sadar upazila agriculture officer Jahidul Karim among others present.
