Chili pepper farming a boon for Chandpur farmers

Farmers in Chandpur are smiling due to a bumper yield of chili peppers this year. This time the production target of 3,420 metric tons of chili peppers and the cultivation target was 1,900 hectares, said the Department of Agriculture.

The production and cultivation targets are found as per the information provided by Chandpur Agricultural Extension. Among all the upazilas, chili peppers have been planted on a large scale in Chandpur Sadar, Haimchar and Matlab chars.

Chandpur Agriculture Department said that the farmers are interested in chili cultivation due to river flood in Chandpur, favorable weather environment, transportation facilities, interest of farmers in chili cultivation, provision of technology to achieve production targets of agriculture department, improved communication system, availability of agricultural inputs, agronomists’ advice on seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, easy loan from banks, etc.

Extensive chili production has taken place, especially, in the char areas of Chandpur.

It is learned that cultivation in Chandpur Sadar is 210 hectares and production is 378 metric tons, cultivation in Matlab Uttar is 520 hectares and production is 936 metric tons, and cultivation in Dakkhin Matlab is 70 hectares and production is 1,062 metric tons.

Cultivation in Hajiganj is 90 hectares and production is 162 metric tons, cultivation in Shaharasti is 20 hectares and production is 36 metric tons, cultivation in Kachua is 65 hectares and production is 187 metric tons.

Cultivation in Faridganj is 45 hectares and production is 81 metric tons and cultivation in Haimchar is 880 hectares and production is 1,584 metric tons.

Razzak Hawlader, a farmer of Shahmahmudpur UP in Sadar upazila, said the yield of chili has been better this year than last year. We worked with advice from the agriculture office. 

Some people including Sobhan Bepari and Zahir Sheikh, farmers of Rajrajeshwar UP of Sadar Upazila, said they were very happy that chili yield is good in the char areas this time. However, the farmers are busy picking chilies from the field very fast.

Jalal Uddin, Assistant Director of Chandpur district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said they cooperated with timely advice to farmers.  

This year, the production target was 3,420 metric tons of chili peppers and the cultivation target was 1,900 hectares.