Gopalganj growers make good profit from high-yielding tomato varieties

Farmers of Raghunathpur union under Sadar upazila are making a good profit by growing 'Beautiful-2' tomato variety this season.

Dilip Biswas, a farmer of Raghunathpur village under Sadar upazila, said he has have cultivated Beautiful-2 tomato on two bighas (66 decimal) of land spending Tk 40,000. Now he expects to make a profit of Tk 2,40,000 to Tk 2,50,00 if the weather condition remains favourable and the market rate remains stable.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Gopalganj, official sources said, about 600 hectares of land have been brought under potato cultivation, origin Beauty-1 and Beautiful-2, in the district this current season with the production target of 36,000 tonnes.

Another farmer Narayandranath Mondal said, "I have cultivated 'Beautiful-2' tomato on 15 decimals of land this season spending Tk 9,000. I have already made a profit of Tk 50,000 from the produce."

Tomato is being sold at Tk 22 to Tk 23 in the local market, he said.

Prodip Halder, sub-assistant agriculture officer, Raghunathpur union under Gopalganj Sadar, farmers of the district are expecting a good potato production this year. About 20 hectares of land have been brought under tomato cultivation in Raghunathpur union. Around 350 farmers of the union are engaged with the farming of Beauty-1 and Beautiful-2 tomato varieties.

Md Mizanur Rahman, upazila agriculture officer of Gopalganj  Sadar, said a total of 163 hectares of land have been brought under tomato cultivation in Sadar upazila this season where the production target is at 9,800 tonnes.

Tomato farming is profitable for the high market demand, easy cultivation procedure and low production cost, the official added.

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