Napier grass boosts natural cattle fattening in Bogura

BOGURA, Feb 02: Napier grass, imported from the developed countries, is boosting natural cattle fattening in Bogura district for the last few years.
Its cultivation is also reducing rearing cost of sheep, goats, cows, oxen, buffalos and bullocks in the region. Before starting farms in their homesteads, the farmers have been given suggestion to set up grassfield to provide healthy food item.
More than 500 extreme poor farmers of the district mostly depend on natural cattle fattening farm with the assistance of authority concerned, said district livestock officials (LO).
The farmers of the region are increasing gradually due to its good profit investing some amount of capital LO added.
Whenever the farmers desire to cultivate the Napier grass, they need to plough the land well and to give chemical and organic fertiliser simultaneously. The farmers are to spend Tk 20,000 to produce Napier grass on a bigha of land but they save over Tk 0.2 million to feed the cattle.
A decade ago, good number extreme poor farmers of Dupchanchia, Kahaloo, Adamdighi, Sonatola, Sariakandi, Shajahanpur, Gabtoly, Shibganj and Sadar upazilas of the district had started the grass cultivation on an experimental basis, according to department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).
Since then the farming had started expanding across the district due to its lure of profit compared to other short-duration cultivation items, DAE added.
The authority concerned informed the correspondent that the farmers of the district have cultivated the crops over 200 hectares of land across the twelve upazilas of the district. Napier grass farming is helping meet the family expenditure of 370 poor people.
During a recent visit the correspondent found the farmers are working in the farm defying adverse weather conditions from the very early in the morning to late at night. The female members of their families are also engaged with the farming.
"I have cultivated Napier grass on 32 decimals of land this season spending Tk 3200 including pay labour and seed cost," said farmer Kamal Hossain under Sariakandi upazila. "I have already sold some grass at Tk 15,000 and expecting make over Tk 9,000 from the rest of crops." he added.
DAE official said farmers of the district are making Tk 0.1 million to 0.2 million from a hectare of cropland this season.
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