Summer tomato harvesting has been started at different areas in Godagari upazila of the
disrict. Farmers are very happy over the sale-proceeds as they are getting expected price.
For the first time, farmers of the upazila are cultivating the cash crop for the last couple
of years and the farming has created a new avenue of earning of more money with their
own efforts.
Office sources said the farmers transplanted seedlings of the non-conventional crop on
two bighas of land in last week of June and subsequently they become very busy over its
nursing works.
Over the last one week, the farmers are harvesting the crop. They said one kilogram of
tomato is being sold at Taka 100 at present. Wholesalers both from Rajshahi and other
parts of the country are purchasing the crop directly from the farmers’ field. In this way,
the farmers are getting extra benefit as they are saving from transportation cost.
Rakibul Islam, a farmer of Ishwaripur village, said he had cultivated summer tomato on
five katha of land in 2011 first and was financially benefited with lucrative price. But,
he was affected by natural calamity in 2012 when he brought one bigha of land for the
cultivation.
This time, he cultivated the crop on 10 katha of land and has so far spent Taka 20,000. He
harvested 10 kiolgrams of tomato and sold those at Taka 100 per kilogram. All the plants
have become full bloomed and fruits predicting bumper production.
He expects that he will earn at least Taka 1.50 lakh from the 10-katha farming field.
Ahad Ali, another farmer of the same village, said he cultivated the crop on eight katha
this time. He fetched Taka 1,700 from two times harvesting. He is very much optimistic
that he will earn more than Taka 1.40 lakh from his farming.
Abul Kalam Azad, Assistant Upazila Agriculture Officer, said more farmers were seen
showing their interest to take training on the summer tomato farming as they get more
profit against less cost.
He mentioned that more than 200 farmers received training on farming of various
vegetables including summer tomato from the Department of Agriculture (DAE) this
season.
Dr Saiful Islam, Upazila Agriculture Officer, said the summer tomato can be cultivated
on all types of soil. The newly innovated summer varieties are capable to become fruit
bearing in temperature above 23 degrees Celsius at night.
He, however, said special measures should be taken to protect the transplanted seedlings
from inundation along with its normal growth and subsequent expected yield.
Dr Shahabuddin Ahmed, principal scientific officer of BARI, said its farming has gained
momentum in different areas of the country including Jessore and the farmers are being
benefited significantly.’
Referring to the salient features of the variety, he said it was tolerant to high temperature
and equal to the winter varieties in size, taste and flavor and its preservation capacity was
sufficient in normal temperature. –BSS, Rajshahi
