Manikganj Correspondent:

The cultivation of sesame has exceeded its fixed target in all seven upazilas of the district and the farmers are expecting a bumper production, the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said.

DAE office sources said they had set a target of sesame cultivation on 3,971 hectares of land with a production target of 3,826 tonnes of sesame during the current season. But sesame was cultivated on 4,097 hectares of land exceeding its target by 126 hectares of land in the district.

Good production of sesame and its fair prices have been encouraging the farmers to spread its cultivation during the last several years, the sources said. In this continuity, the cultivation of sesame exceeded its fixed target as favourable weather prevailed in the district this year.

The sandy char areas of Harirampur, Shibalaya and Daulatpur upazilas of the district remained barren for a long time. But now, most of those lands are being brought under sesame cultivation.

Some of the farmers of Harirampur and Daulatpur upazilas of the district said to this correspondent, that when visited those areas, “We are interested in cultivating sesame as it grows in barren fallow land and it is very easy to cultivate and harvest”.

Deputy Director of DAE Dr. Robiah Noor Ahmed said the land of the district, especially the vast char areas of Harirampur, Shibalaya and Daulatpur upazilas are suitable for sesame cultivation and the farmers are getting reasonable prices for their production, adding that for this reason sesame cultivation has been increasing day by day in the district.