At one time mustard was planted all over the field. Although there was no mill, the mustard produced was threshed in its own mill. This pure mustard oil was the main ingredient of curry cooking in every farming family. At that time the yield of the local variety of mustard was very low.
In addition, the cultivation of various new crops has increased due to the need, and the cultivation of mustard has come to a standstill. At present, the cultivation of mustard is gradually increasing in Rangpur region due to the invention of high yielding varieties of mustard in modern agriculture. This year, mustard, produced as a Rabi crop, has become a source of income for the farmers for next boro season.
According to the farmers, the boro season is in full swing in the area. After harvesting the mustard, they planted boro paddy seedlings in the land. Boro cultivation costs more than other crops. But boro paddy provides the lion's share of their food needs. As marginal and small farmers do not have capital, they pay for the cultivation of boro every year with the sale of crops grown in Rabi season including mustard and potato.
Over the years, losses have been calculated by cultivating various vegetables including paddy, jute, potato and wheat. Due to the huge losses in potatoes in the last few years, this is having a negative impact on boro cultivation. They cultivate mustard on a large plot of land as an alternative crop during the Rabi season this year. The yield has also been good.
According to the relevant sources, besides the conventional mustard variety Tori-6 in the region, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) has developed high yielding mustard varieties Bari Mustard-4, Bari Mustard-9, Bari Mustard-11, Bari Mustard-14, Bari Mustard-15 and Bari Mustard-16. Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) has invented BINA Mustard-4 and BINA Mustard-5. Besides, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) has developed a high yielding mustard variety called BADC Mustard-1. Yield of these mustards are 600 to 800 kg per acre.
It can be seen that mustard has been cultivated in a large area as an alternative to potato. Yellow flowers are falling in the fields but mustard fruits are shining. Farmers are extracting mustard from the fields as it has matured somewhere. Those who sowed mustard in the month of Kartik after harvesting aman paddy in advance have already threshed the mustard.
Madhu Mia cultivates mustard on four bighas of land in East Khaprikhal area of Betgari union in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur. He was picking mustard with his wife and children. Madhu Mia said, mustard cultivation costs less, profit is more. The cost per bigha including seeds, fertilizers, irrigation has been Tk 1500.
He hopes to get 6 maund of mustard in Bigha.
Emdadul Haque, a farmer from Chandanerhat area of Khaleya Union, said that after threshing, he got five maund of mustard in Bigha. At present, mustard is being sold in the market at Tk 2,000, he said.
According to the mustard growers, boro is cultivated in the area after the potato is harvested. The cost is much higher in Boro. Boro has to be cultivated with the money from the sale of potatoes. But in the last two years, there have been losses due to losses in potatoes. In that case, they said that mustard is their resource this year.
According to the Rangpur Regional Office of the Department of Agricultural Extension, mustard cultivation is gradually increasing in the region. Mustard was planted in 30000 to 35000 hectares of land in five years in five districts of the region.
Last year it was increased and planted in 38433 hectares of land. This year 39,290 hectares of land has been planted. Of these, 7,700 hectares are in Rangpur, 10,115 hectares in Gaibandha, 13,980 hectares in Kurigram, 1,940 hectares in Lalmonirhat and 5,555 hectares in Nilphamari. On an average, 1.38 metric tons of mustard has been harvested per hectare of land, the source said.
