Maize gains farmers' attention in southeast
The farmers in the southwestern districts have set to harvest the optimum yield of maize cultivated in the current season.
High yield and huge demand mainly encouraged farmers to expand cultivation of the cereal crop in the region. It brings cultivators better prices too.
Farmers in 10 districts under Khulna division ploughed 51,893 hectares of land this time, expecting eight tonnes of maize from each hectare, according to the Department of Agriculture Extension.
Each hectare produced 7.55 tonnes of maize in the last season.
Farmers said seeds supplied by some private companies made them confident when they used 900M, 900M Gold, MK 40, Pinacle, and some other varieties.
Farmer Nurul Islam of village Protappur in Jhenidah sadar uapzila said he brought his all 14 bighas of cultivable land under the maize farming this season, expecting a sum of Tk 386,000, as prices have gone up.
Some maize farmers of Jibannagar upazila under Chuadanga said they are cultivating maize on their own will, as buyers purchase the crop in cash immediately after the harvest.
"We sold each maund of maize at Tk 350-400 last season, while the price has risen to Tk 580-600 this season," said Shariful Islam of Jibonnagar.
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