Raaz Mostafa:

Chilli farmers of different Chars (shoals) in the Jamuna river under Sirajganj district are expecting a good profit this year due to its bumper production and reasonable price.

Not only that, many farmers in the area are now showing interest to cultivate chilli on their lands instead of farming other crops with the hope of getting additional profit in exchange of a cheaper cultivation cost.

Sirajganj District Agricultural Extension Department (AED) said that, this year, the target of chilli cultivation was set on 1,530 hectares of land in nine upazilas of the district. Exceeding the target, chilli has been cultivated on 1,540 hectares of land.

In addition to local varieties, various varieties of chilies including hybrid variety-Bijli, Jamuna, Roshni, Jhelik, Bari-3, Super Sonic, Rangpuri and Bogurayan have been cultivated. At least 2.59 metric tonnes of dried chilli have been produced on per hectares of land.

This year, the target of dried chilli production was set at 3,519 metric tons here, the officials added.

According to the local market sources, currently, raw chili is being sold between Tk 50 and Tk 60 per kg, while dried chilli is being sold between Tk 350 and Tk 550 per kg depending on the size and varieties. This year, due to favorable weather, farmers of the Jamuna basin areas have got a good yield of chilli. Wholesalers from various parts of the country including the capital are coming to buy green chili and dried chilli produced in the Jamuna Chars.

Some renowned spice processing companies of the country have been collecting chilli from here for the last few years offering reasonable prices.

Good yield of chilli and development of communication in the area prompted the companies to collect the spice from the region. Silted land of different shoals is suitable for chilli farming.

On the other hand, farmers are getting reasonable prices due to high demand of chilli in the country’s markets, insiders said.

The largest Natuapara Hat in Kazipur upazila of the district is held on every Saturday and Wednesday of the week. Traders, including representatives of big companies in the country, collect chillies from this hat. Many traders buy raw chili from the hat and dry it on the hot sand of the Chars. This year, the farmers of the Chars have seen profits by cultivating this crop.

Rajob Ali, a chilli farmer from Paikpara village under Sonamukhi Union of Kazipur upazila of the district said that, “This year, I have cultivated chilli on my one bigha of land. I preserved four maunds of dried chilli even after selling of the raw chili. I spent Tk 32,000 for cultivating the chilli. Dried chilli is currently being sold at Tk 550 per kg in the town areas. I am now expecting to sell the four maunds of chilli at Tk 96,000 in the current market.”

Abdur Rahman, another farmer of Natuapara village in the Kazipur upazila said that, “I have cultivated chilli on a bigha of land according to the advice of local Agriculture Extension Department’s officials. I have already harvested and sold 20 maunds of raw chili. I hope that, I shall be able to sell the rest red chilli at about Tk 1 lakh few days later.”

Md. Anwar Sadat, Sirajganj Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer said told The Daily Sky that, “Farmers in the char areas are leaning towards chilli cultivation in the hope of getting good prices. Chilli has been cultivated on 650 hectares of land in Sadar Upazila. Most of which is in the char area. The local agriculture department is also giving various suggestions to the farmers in this regard.”

Kazipur Upazila Agriculture Officer Shariful Islam said, “Farmers of different chars started chilli cultivation on their lands just after recession of flood water. This year, chilli has been cultivated on 440 hectares of land in Kazipur upazila. Farmers of the area are expecting to get both the good yield and prices.”

Deputy Director of AED in Sirajganj AJM Ahsan Shahid Sarkar said, “Due to the good price of chilli, farmers in Jamuna Chars have become interested to cultivate chilli on their land at a large scale comparing to the previous years. Meanwhile about 1,540 hectares of land in the district have brought under chilli cultivation this year. I hope that the farmers will be benefited as the weather is still in our favour.”