Sunflower has been cultivated in the permanent premises of Exim Bank on Amanura Road in Sadar upazila of Chapainawabganj district. Two varieties of sunflower have been cultivated in two bighas of land along the road. If the picture of sunflower here is viral on Facebook, then the crowd of people has been flooding there. Although about 13 kilometers away from the city, visitors are coming by microbus-car, motorcycle.
Sumaiya Alam Oishee, a housewife and a student of Exim Bank Agricultural University, Bangladesh, who came to take pictures with her husband and children, said that she came to take pictures after being fascinated by the flower scene on Facebook. She added that she had never seen such sunflowers in the field. So she went there to take pictures.
Mehedi Hasan Sohel, Senior Lecturer, Department of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science, Exim Bank Agricultural University, said that sunflower has been cultivated on a small scale for seeds on an experimental basis. There are plans to cultivate on a large scale in the future, but I also want the farmers of Chapainawabganj to see the benefits of my sunflower cultivation and to be inspired to cultivate sunflower. The scientific name of the sunflower helianthus annuus.
He said the country imports soybean oil worth Tk 26,000 crore every year. The government plans to increase its cultivation to reduce oil imports. This will save a lot of foreign currency. Sunflower trees are used for fuel, it’s straw is the raw material for making fodder. So the interest of farmers is increasing. In the future, its cultivation will increase several times. Farmers should be encouraged for this.
As per the directions of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Nazrul Islam Majumder, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Exim Bank Agricultural University Bangladesh, all the teachers, students, officers and employees of this institution are committed to implement the aims and objectives of this university.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked to cultivate edible oil and sunflower. The Prime Minister also directed to conduct more research on oil seed development to reduce soybean edible oil imports to reduce imports.
Mehedi Hasan Sohail said that Exim Bank Agricultural University Bangladesh is ahead in the field of quality education as well as research. A team of researchers from Exim Bank Agricultural University has succeeded in conducting research on this first oil seed sunflower in Barind land. Mehedi Hasan Sohel, Senior Lecturer, Exim Bank Agricultural University, said that sunflower seeds were sown in the field in mid-December last year. The crop can be harvested at home in late April or early May. If you spend five thousand rupees, you will get oil seeds as expected. Senior Lecturer Sohail said that this oil is free from harmful cholesterol. Therefore, in order to meet the oil shortage in the country, large scale sunflower cultivation should be initiated.
He further said that for the first time he is cultivating V-2 Bari Suryamukhi-3 variety. In this variety, farmers have to give 1 kg 200 gm seed per bigha cultivation.
Regarding its nutritional value, he said that sunflower seeds contain 40-45% linoleic acid and also do not contain harmful erosic acid. Sunflower oil is very beneficial for heart patients. Sunflower oil contains omega 9 and omega 6 which are beneficial for human body. Sunflower oil, heart disease,
Sunflower oil is also safe for diabetics, high blood pressure and kidney patients.
