Jashore tops list of highest vegetable producing districts

The south-western district of Jashore has topped the list of areas producing most vegetables per hectare a year.  

On average, Jashore farmers produce 25 tonnes of vegetables per hectare annually. This means eight lakh tonnes of vegetables are grown on 32,000 hectares of land a year.

Rangpur and Jamalpur jointly ranked second in vegetable production while Pabna came third. The Ministry of Agriculture recently acknowledged these achievements at the National Agriculture Fair held in the capital.

Emdad Hossain Sheikh, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Jashore, said, "More than eight lakh tonnes of vegetables are produced a year in Jashore. We are glad that Jashore has been recognised as the top vegetable producing district."

"I would like to thank the farmers for this achievement," he added.  

Vegetables are produced throughout the year in Jashore. After meeting local demand, vegetables are supplied to other regions of the country, including the capital. 

Jashore's Barinagar is one of the largest vegetable markets in the country. In December last year, a large amount of vegetables were available there. Of this, a significant amount was sent to the capital and other regions in the country.

Though the farmers sold vegetables at a good price in the beginning of the winter season, prices have dropped recently.

Mofizur Rahman of Enayetpur village in Jashore Sadar said he cultivated radish, bean and tomato this year. "I was getting good prices in the beginning but that is not the case anymore."

Ohidul Islam of Mothurapur village said there was a good yield of pumpkin in the winter season and the price was also good. 

In the beginning of the winter season, Munshi Rahmat sold brinjal at Tk30 per kg but on January 8, wholesalers did not want to pay more than Tk15 per kg.  

Mohammad Hasan, a vegetable merchant in Dhaka, said, "There was a huge demand for vegetables a month ago. As vegetables are cultivated earlier in Jashore, we got a good price initially. However, demand in Dhaka and Chattogram has fallen as vegetables are supplied there from various parts of the country."

In Barinagar market, radish is sold at Tk6 per kg, brinjal at Tk15 per kg, pointed gourd at Tk40 per kg, bean at Tk16 per kg, cauliflower at Tk25 per kg and cabbage at Tk10 per kg at present.

According to the Agricultural Extension office in Jashore, vegetables have been cultivated on 14,960 hectares of land in this winter season.