Bright prospect for natural indigo in Tangail, Mymensingh

A Garo woman processing indigo leaves at a dye factory in Pirgacha village in Modhupur. PHOTO: STAR

Indigo is used mainly for dying cotton, silk, wool and other natural fibre used for making cloth, carpet and a host of other costly and fashionable products. Natural indigo is environment friendly and better than synthetic indigo.

But its cultivation can not be expanded as synthetic indigo, imported mainly from India, has flooded the market and is sold at much lower prices, according to people involved in its production, preparation and marketing.

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Scarcity of seed and lack of other facilities also are obstacles to its production.

Its cultivation in large scale can create employment opportunities for rural women and meet the country's demand, they said.

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a foreign NGO, initiated cultivation of indigo plants in 2000 under a project titled 'Nilkamol', involving Garo people at Jalchatra village in Madhupur of Tangail.

Initially it brought 0.87 acres of land under cultivation.

As the experimental cultivation was successful, it brought 12 acres of land under the cultivation in 2001.

The MCC provided seeds and technical support to growers.

Next year, it started commercial cultivation at the village. Garo farmers cultivated indigo on 20 acres of land.

But in 2003, the cultivation shrank to 12 acres as the farmers did not get seeds and other facilities.

The cultivation increased this year.

According to sources, 32 farmers in Jalchhatra, Rajbari, Pirgachha, Beribaid and Ghechua villages in Madhupur upazila have brought 14 acres of land under indigo cultivation with technical and financial assistance from MCC.

The production target has been fulfilled this year, MCC sources told this correspondent during a recent visit to the area.

The production would be over 150 kilograms. Harvesting has just concluded, they said.

Arun Kumar Naha, Senior Project Development Officer of MCC said natural indigo can be cultivated in any land and even on homesteads any time of the year.

Indigo is produced from leaves, which can be harvested three times a year.

Cultivation during March-April and harvesting during August- September is more profitable, he said.

A farmer can easily earn Tk 6000 to 7500 from one acre of land in a season. The investment is Tk 1500 to 2500.

The sources said many farmers in Madhupur, Muktagacha and Phulbaria have shown interest for indigo cultivation but MCC could not supply seeds and provide them other facilities, they said.

Interest is growing among farmers because its cultivation is easy and cheap.

Farmers can sell indigo leaves at MCC's two dye manufacturing centres at Pirgachha and Beribaid at the rate of Tk two per kg.

"But as synthetic indigo has flooded the market and it is much cheaper. So our natural dye can not cope with the situation", Arun Kumar said.

One kilogram of synthetic indigo dye is sold at Tk 600 to Tk 700 while natural dye is sold at Tk 1000, he said.

Natural dye produced from indigo leaves is of better quality because its colour is bright and long-lasting, they said.

Arun Kumar also told this correspondent that MCC produced 155 kgs of indigo last year (2003) but the whole quantity is yet to be sold because cheaper Indian synthetic indigo has flooded the market.

If this situation continues, they would be compelled to abandon their project, he said.