GAIBANDHA, JAN 29, 2014 (BSS)-Gladiolus farming for the first time has brought smile on the faces of growers in Sadullapur upazila of the district as they are earning profit by selling their products at higher prices.
The harvest of the variety was going on in full swing. Successful cultivation of the plant has also ushered in new hopes and aspirations to other farmers of the district.The farmers are showing keen interest to farm gladiolus in the next season.Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has introduced the ‘Second Crop Diversification Project’ in 52 upazilas across the country in 2011 in a bid to produce various high value crops.Under this project, a total of 10 farmers of different villages under Bongram and Damodarpur unions of Sadullapur upazila planted gladiolus corms (Seed) at the end of October last year.After two and a half month, their dream was fully materialized as the growers started harvest of gladiolus from the middle of January making the growers interested in farming the variety in next season to a great extent.Earlier, the officers of upazila agriculture office motivated the farmers and provided them with quality corms (BARI-4 and 8), need base training and other technological support to make the cultivation a success.Farmer Palash Chandra Mondal of Hobibullapur block under Bongram union said he planted 4,000 corms on 5 decimals of land at the end of October being motivated by the agri officials.Mondal had already sold 1500 pieces of gladiolus at Taka 12,000 to the flower businessmen of the town.The rest 2500 sticks of flower would be sold at Taka 20,000 within two weeks. Mondal would earn a total of Taka 32,000 from 5 decimal land after investing of Taka 10,000, he said.Deputy Director of DAE Mir Abdur Razzak said all credit goes to the growers and the agri officials concerned as they had successfully produced the gladiolus creating positive impact to other farmers.Talking to the BSS project director M Hamidur Rahman said initiatives were also taken to expand its farming in other parts of the country in the next season.
