Sugarcane farmers in Bogura and some other districts are happy as they are getting good yield of the crop due to favourable weather and absence of attacks by pests and diseases. The fair market price brought smile on the faces of farmers this season.
Although sugarcane cultivation requires hard labour, local farmers became interested in cultivating it due to higher profit than other crops, including jute.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), sugarcane was cultivated on 332 hectares of land in five upazilas of Bogura district. The crop was cultivated on 302 hectares of land last year.
Some farmers said that the price is a little low this year than the previous year but the sellers and the buyers are happy over the good supply. “I purchase sugarcane from local farmers at a satisfactory price and sell those to different places in the northern district,” said a wholesaler.
He also said, “I have bought each dozen of sugarcane at Tk 100 to Tk 120 and sold them at Tk 140 to Tk 150 in the market.”
Ali Akbar, a farmer of Bogura district, said that he had cultivated sugarcane on 0.34 acre of land spending Tk 20,000 this season. He has harvested the crop and sold those at Tk 40,000, he added.
Jahangir Hossain, another farmer, said that if the government supports the farmers by providing short-term loan facility and incentives, sugarcane farming would expand in the coming years.
Deputy Director of DAE said they have provided different supports including training to the local sugarcane farmers. The local farmers are showing more interest in sugarcane cultivation for good price.
