Early winter vegetables have come as blessings for farmers in Sadar upazila of Jashore district, thanks to the favourable weather and timely initiative. According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Jashore, this year, a total of 4,323 hectares of land are being used to cultivate early winter vegetables. Of this, 2,432 hectares of land are in Haibatpur union, 1026 hectares in Churamankati union, and 865 hectares in Kashimpur union under Sadar upazila. Farmers have been busy cultivating the vegetables and are making good profit due to the high market price. Vegetable cultivation on Teesta shoals a boon for Lalmonirhat farmers

Sandy shoals that emerged in the Teesta River during winter have become a blessing for many farmers in Lalmonirhat as they have successfully cultivated different kinds of vegetables there. The shoals(chars) are now full with green vegetables as farmers have cultivated pumpkin, peanut, wheat, maize, paddy, chilli, onion and other vegetables and are expecting good profit due to their good quality and high prices in market. Farmers said many shoals emerge in the river during dry season but in monsoon the river overflows its banks, causing extensive damages to crops. Both flood and erosion of riverbanks have made the lives of char residents difficult, they said. When the flood water recedes and shoals emerge in the river, local farmers cultivate vegetables on the fertile and sandy lands to earn livelihood. Many farmers have cultivated peanuts, cucumber and watermelon but most of the farmers preferred pumpkins due to low production cost and bumper production. Farmers dig holes on the char and fill it with fertile soil collected from other places. Later they mix compost and sow seeds of the pumpkin. When the plants grow up, the farmers nurture their plants through irrigation. A total of 8-10 pumpkins were found from each plant, each weighing 3-4 kg. Also read: Teesta banks erosion: Over 250 houses in Kurigram washed away in 3 days

Amina Begum of Sadar upazila’s Shuvarkuti village had to take shelter in her father’s home as her husband’s house got destroyed by the flood. She managed some loans and planted apel kul, papaya, chilly and eggplants on 60 decimals of her father’s land. This season she had to count a hefty loss for cultivating crops. Amina took up farming vegetables and fruits to recoup the loss and hopes to make enough to buy a piece of land to build her own home.

Many farmers in Kurigram have taken up vegetable cultivation to recoup losses incurred during the recent flood.

The farmers of Dumuria upazila in Khulna are showing more interest in vegetable farming than that of paddy in the hope of making more profits with little labour.

Vegetable farming on floating beds made of water hyacinth and bamboo in waterbodies or ponds, has drawn huge response from farmers in different areas of Sylhet district .