Chemical-free vegetable brings bright prospect

Tilai Joychondi village in Sadar upazila has already earned the reputation of 'safe vegetable producing area' as a good number of farmers are cultivating in environment-friendly way for producing poison-free vegetables.

In early January this year, the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) provided training to 20 farmers of the village on organic farming of vegetables.

The farmers adopted the method and later many others followed.

A farmer checks organic pesticides. Photo: Star

Visiting the village on Sunday, this correspondent found several farmers busy in taking care of organically grown summer vegetables like bitter gourd, pumpkin, pointed gourd, brinjal and snake gourd.

The growers said they got handsome profit from winter vegetables, which were produced in organic way in an experimental basis under the supervision of agricultural officials.

At the village's entrance, a big ditch covered with a thatched shed was seen where farmers put cow dung, rotten water hyacinth etc to prepare compost manure.

Noorjahan, 48, was preparing vermin compost using earthworm in large concrete rings.

"We were used to farming with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. After learning from agricultural officials that it is a harmful practice, we switched to organic farming. Besides, we became aware that conscious people are ready to pay higher for poison-free vegetables," farmer Ohidul Islam said.

Agricultural officials arranged training on preparing organic fertilizers, pesticides and pheromone traps, said another farmer Hemanta Roy.

Another prepares vermicompost fertiliser at Tila Joychondi village in Nilphamari Sadar upazila. Photo: Star

During the visit, farmer Fahima Begum, 45, was seen making organic pesticide by mixing crushed leaves of neem, tobacco and papaya with water to keep at a shady place for days. She learnt the process from DAE's trainers.

Sirajul Islam, 50, was spraying in his pumpkin field liquid fertilizer, which he prepared by mixing cow dung, oil bran, bone dust, molasses etc with water and allowing fermentation for seven to ten days.

"Organic farming is cost effective as we prepare fertiliser and pesticide at home from available natural materials while chemical ones are costly," said Sirajul.

Solaiman Ali, 55, said he cultivated bitter gourd on 30 decimals of land and expect to get 750 kg of yield.

"Hopefully I will get Tk 34.5 thousand by selling it while my expenditure is Tk 13.5 thousand only as use of organic farming saved the expenditure for buying chemical fertilizer and pesticide," he said.

Sonarai Union agriculture officer Nazmul Huda Mithu said, "Farmers also use environment-friendly sex pheromone traps, net houses, yellow sticky traps etc to prevent insects."

However, farmers in one voice reported that they badly need at least an organic vegetable shop in every market so that buyers can easily identify healthy products.

Contacted, Nilphamari DAE's Deputy Director Nikhil Chandra Biswas said, "We provide all out support to farmers of Tilai Joichondi village in producing safe vegetables. We have a plan to spread the practice in the entire district in phases."