Farmers of Teesta riverbed localities in the Nilphamari district are anticipating a bumper yield of green winter vegetables, including some advanced ones.

The Teesta riverbed silver sandy land areas of the district have been covered with greenery with numerous varieties of winter vegetables creating an eye-catching look everywhere in this current season.

Most farmers widely cultivated winter vegetables like onion, potato, garlic, chillies, bean, brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes etc.

In order to overcome their financial insolvency, the peasants are showing interest in large-scale commercial vegetable farming in vast riverbed areas creating a silent revolution in agriculture. At the same time, the farmers are expecting huge production to cover up the damages caused by the recent flood.

During recent visits to different char areas like Jhunagach Chapani, Khalisha Chapani, Dauwabari, Char Khoribari, Baish Pukur, Baburhat, Tunirhat, Pagolpara, Purba Chatnai of Dimla and Jaldhaka upazila of the district, the Daily Sun correspondent saw that most of the farmers were busy in their fields.

Farmer Abdul Matin of Tunirhat village in Dimla upazila said, “This year I have cultivated winter vegetables on 80 decimals of sandy lands, now I am expecting good production”.

A female farmer Kahinur Begum of Purba Chatnai villages of the upazila said, “This year I have cultivated green chillies, onion, bean, brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, including different types of spinach, on 2 bighas of land, after taking a loan from a local NGO”.

“I’m taking care of the vegetable field with the help of labourers as I have already sold different types of spinach at almost Tk10,000. Now I am expecting a minimum Tk20,000-25,000 as profit from the land.”    

According to the source of Nilphamari DAE office, a total of 2,945 hectares of sandy lands in Dimla upazila and 328 hectares of sandy lands at the Teesta riverbed char areas in Jaldhaka upazila of the district have been cultivated.

Talking to Daily Sun, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) of Nilphamari agriculturist Dr SM Abu Bakar Saiful Islam said, “There are 3,273 hectares of sandy lands available in Dimla and Jaldhaka upazila. Among them, maximum sandy lands have been used for varieties of winter vegetable cultivation in this current season. Farmers are hoping for huge production as a lot of winter vegetables were damaged by flood recently”. 

“Nilphamari DEA Office has arranged many training programmes and carried out campaigns for using organic fertiliser before winter vegetable cultivation”, he added.