VEGETABLES are vital for nutritional value and food security for Bangladesh. However, the availability of vegetables is only about one fifth of the recommended requirement of 200 grammes a day for a person.
However, summer vegetable cultivation is constrained by adverse climate and pest attacks. The major winter vegetables are cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, brinjal, radish, hyacinth bean, bottle gourd, etc while major summer vegetables are pumpkin, bitter gourd, teasle gourd, ribbed gourd, ash gourd, okra, yard-long bean, and Indian spinach among others. Some vegetables like brinjal, pumpkin, okra, and red amaranth are found to grow in both seasons.
Bangladesh experienced rising production of vegetables in the last decade. The city dwellers in Dhaka and Chittagong are getting opportunity to have different vegetables in our meals regularly irrespective of seasons. In northern districts also substantial quantity of vegetables are grown. Looking back two decades ago, it was seen that in summer and rainy seasons there existed acute scarcity of vegetables in Bangladesh. Thanks to Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and the farmers in particular. But one thing that strikes my mind is that Habiganj district has been an exception in growing vegetables. When I travelled to Habiganj from Dhaka last December '16 by road, I could hardly see any vegetable field along either side of the highway. I was surprised to see only three bean growing fields after Narshigndi to Habiganj. Winter is the best time for growing a variety of vegetables throughout the country, but I found Habiganj was different.
In a situation like this, I would like to draw the attention of BADC and DAE to undertake projects to motivate farmers of the area by supplying seed and other inputs for vegetable cultivation in Habiganj district.
Md. Ashraf Hossain
120, Central Bashabo, Dhaka.
[email protected]
- Monday, 20 May 2024 |
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