896 thousand tons of winter vegetables produced in Rangpur

The farmers produced an all-time record quantity of over 8.96 lakh tonnes of winter vegetables during the just-ended Rabi season in all five districts of Rangpur  agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said the farmers are happy getting bumper output of winter vegetables and fair price despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic situation.
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad Ali said a target of producing 8.14 lakh tonnes of winter vegetables from 37,707 hectares of  land was fixed for the region this time.
“However, the enthusiastic farmers cultivated winter vegetables on 38,736 hectares of land exceeding the fixed farming target by 1,029 hectares in the region,” he said.
After completing harvest recently, the farmers produced 8.96 lakh tonnes of winter vegetables worth over Taka 2,240 crore and higher by over 82,000 tonnes than the fixed production target of the crop.
Meanwhile, the farmers have already cultivated summer vegetables on 25,252 hectares of land against the fixed farming target on 25, 152 hectares of land to produce 4.58 lakh tonnes of vegetables during this Kharif-1 season in the region.
“The farmers have already exceeded the fixed farming target of summer vegetables by 116 hectares of land as sowing of the seeds still continues during this Kharif-1 season,” Ali said.
Vegetable trader Hafizur Rahman at Rangpur City Bazar said the farmers are currently selling winter vegetables at between Taka 25 and Taka 30 per kg and summer vegetables at between Taka 30 and Taka 40 per kg on an average.
“However, retail prices are higher by Taka 15 to Taka 20 per kg or even more in the local markets as some vegetables are being perished during transportations and marketing process to increase retail prices amid COVID-19) pandemic,” Hafizur said.
Currently, some 100 trucks loaded with vegetables are being sent to the capital city and other places daily from Rangpur region.
Retail vegetable trader at Keranipara kitchen market in Rangpur city Fazlul Haque said they are selling tomato at between Taka between 25 and 40 per kg, potato between Taka 25 and 40, brinjal between Taka 35 and 40 and balsam between Taka 60 and 80 per kg.
‘Patal’ at between Taka 30 and 35 per kg, sponge gourd between Taka 30 and 35, ‘Kakrol’ between Taka 40 and 50′, ladieds finger between Taka 40 and 50, local onion between Taka 45 and 50 and imported between Taka 30 and 35 per kg.
“Besides, we are selling green chili at between Taka 30 and 40 per kg, ‘Borboti’ between Taka 40 and 45, sweet pumpkin between 10 and 15, snake gourd between Taka 30 and 35 per kg in the local markets,” Fazlur Rahman added.
Talking to BSS, vegetable farmers Ariful Haque, Meher Ali, Solaiman Ali, Mahmudur Rahman, Abdur Rahman and Mokhlesur Rahman of different villages here said they got a super bumper production of winter vegetables this time, reports BSS from Rangpur.