They said they got fair prices for their produce in the previous season and it encouraged them to continue cultivating the cash crop. This year the weather has been favourable.
According to upazila agriculture office, garlic was cultivated on around 35 hectares of land at Khalia village of Rajganj. Besides, a good number of farmers at Hanua, Jhanpa and Chaluahati villages cultivated the crop.
Now, they are expecting to exceed the production target if no natural disaster strikes.
Several farmers of Khalia village said cultivating garlic on each acre cost them about Tk 50,000, including labour wages, fertiliser and irrigation. If the production is good, they can get 55 to 60 maunds of crop.
Each maund is sold at Tk 2,500 to Tk 3,000. After footing various bills, the farmers make between Tk 70,000 to Tk 80,000 profit.
Farmers say the price of the cash crop is encouraging more people to get involved with garlic cultivation.
Shushanta Kumar Tarafdar, additional deputy director of Jashore Department of Agricultural Extension, said the crop is being cultivated in large swathes due to good yield and fair prices.
“If this trend continues, the area will witness bumper production this season,” he said.