BDRunner Online:-
Meherpur, August 13:- Farmers of the district have increased interest in sesame cultivation as it can be produced in all types of soil with little labor and at low cost due to increasing demand for edible oil.
If the weather is favorable, the fortune of sesame farmers will turn around economically. Farmers of the district are benefiting economically from sesame cultivation. Produced sesame plays an important role in meeting the demand for edible oil in the district.
Once upon a time, there was sesame cultivation in the vast fields of Meherpur. Those who have less land also used to cultivate sesame seeds on one side of the land. Sesame was grown in the family for the family’s oil demand and delicacy. Farmers also cultivated sesame on a commercial basis. Sesame oil was also in high demand. Even a few years ago, sesame cultivation could be seen in the fields of 18 unions of the district. Due to various reasons, the interest of farmers in sesame cultivation decreased.
Farmers say that due to low yield and high cost, they are shifting away from sesame cultivation and turning to other crops. As a result, sesame cultivation decreased in the district. At present sesame cultivation has increased in the district on the advice of the Agriculture Department.
Sesame is now considered an elite crop. As a result, it is necessary to give all-out support at the farmer level to maintain the tradition. The crop is on the verge of extinction today.
This year, 90 hectares of land have been cultivated in Meherpur Sadar, Gangni, and Mujibnagar districts. Many are cultivating sesame to meet their family’s oil needs.
Sesame farmer Hartmut Ali of Kamdevpur village of Sadar Upazila cultivated sesame on one bigha of land as a hobby. He said, if you cultivate sesame on one bigha of land, you get 5 maunds of yield. There is no demand for sesame oil in the market. People are comfortable using soybean oil instead of sesame oil. Farmers have lost interest in sesame cultivation in recent years due to fair prices for Boro paddy and maize. He said sesame is the harvest of little effort. It can be said that there is not much trouble in sesame cultivation like other crops. No need to apply pesticides and fertilizers. If the yield is good, 5 to 6 maunds of sesame seeds are obtained per bigha.
Ajgar Ali, a farmer of Randhagobindpur Dhala village of Gangni upazila, said that sesame cultivation can be done when the field is empty after cultivation. There is no damage to the rice. Sesame cultivation does not require fertilizers and pesticides. Cows and goats do not eat moles, so there is no maintenance cost.
Tilchashi Rahman Sarkar of Karamdi village of Gangni upazila said I cultivated sesame on one acre of land. I sowed Bari Til-3 and Bari Til-4 seeds. The trees are full of flowers and fruits. I am hoping to get sesame at 5-6 per bigha. If we get government support, we will increase sesame cultivation.
Vijay Krishna Halder, Deputy Director of the Agriculture Extension Department, said that farmers have planted Bari Til-3 and Bari Til-4 this year. The yield has been good. There has been a lot of interest among the farmers in this crop. We will continue to provide opportunities to increase the interest of sesame farmers. As sesame is a profitable crop, the cultivation of sesame is increasing day by day.
