Jamalpur farmers losing interest in wheat cultivation
Wheat cultivation in Jamalpur is decreasing day by day. Farmers are turning away from wheat cultivation as there is no fair price of wheat in the market and the government is unable to sell it at the fixed price. Instead, they are leaning towards the cultivation of maize, potatoes and other crops.
According to the sources of the district agriculture extension department, the target of wheat cultivation in seven upazilas of the district was set at 3 thousand 660 hectares. But cultivation has been done on 2 thousand 445 hectares. This year wheat has been cultivated on 1 thousand 215 hectares less than the target.
Sonahar Mia, a farmer in Charpalisha area of Melandah Upazila, said that although the price of wheat is high, the yield of maize is high. Moreover, the cost of maize cultivation is relatively low. So, instead of wheat, farmers are turning to maize cultivation. Apart from this, there are more diseases in wheat cultivation. So, farmers are losing interest in wheat cultivation. Wheat farmers said that at present the profit in wheat cultivation is much less than other crops in the grazing area of the district. It costs a lot to grow wheat, laborers don’t want to work in wheat fields. A few years ago, wheat was cultivated in bigha land after bigha. Even though wheat was cultivated in the land this year, the yield was not good. But if the yield is good and wheat prices are good in the market, the farmers will return to wheat cultivation again. Zakia Sultana, deputy director of Jamalpur District Agricultural Extension Department, said that due to the short winter in the country, there is a danger of wheat yield failure, the infestation of wheat blight. On the other hand, farmers are losing interest in wheat cultivation as maize cultivation is becoming profitable due to low cost, low labor and low irrigation.
Source Link: https://bangladeshpost.net/posts/jamalpur-farmers-losing-interest-in-wheat-cultivation-132661
