Even before winter arrives, fields across Kotchandpur, Jhenaidah, are filling with bean blossoms and young pods. By growing early-maturing bean varieties, farmers are meeting local demand while supplying various parts of the country. With good prices at the start of the season, farmer interest in this crop is growing. According to the upazila agriculture office, 254 hectares of land in the upazila have been planted with early summer beans this season.
Kotchandpur upazila has five unions and one municipality. While vegetables are grown across various areas of the upazila, bean cultivation is most concentrated in Sabdarpur union. According to agriculture office sources, 254 hectares — roughly equivalent to 1,830 bighas — have been planted with early beans this season.
Akimul Islam, a farmer from Manikdihi village in Sabdarpur union, said: “This is early-season bean cultivation. As a result, I can bring my beans to market ahead of others. Both demand and prices for beans are good in the market at this time. That’s why we grow this crop.”
He said one bigha of land yields 100 to 120 maunds of beans per season, generating income of 120,000 to 150,000 taka per bigha. He grew beans on two bighas last year. With good yields and prices, he has expanded to four bighas this year.
Bean farmers Chamarul Islam, Delwar Hossain, and Saidur Rahman from Lakshmikunda village said: “As in previous years, we’ve planted beans on 15 kathas of land this year as well. The plants have already started bearing beans. We’ve been selling in the market for several days now.”
They said they sold beans at 120 to 150 taka per kilogram at the start of the harvest. Prices have since settled at 120 taka per kilogram. If this price holds, they expect to earn nearly 100,000 taka from 15 kathas of land over about a month.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Jahid Hossain, an agricultural scientist, said: “This season, 254 hectares in the upazila have been planted with the early summer Ipsa-1 bean variety. Among the five unions and the municipality, cultivation is highest in Sabdarpur union.”
He said: “Farmers in Kotchandpur typically plant this bean crop in April or mid-April. Beans can then be harvested for roughly five to six months. Each bigha yields 100 to 120 maunds. Being an early-summer variety, it fetches good prices in the market, allowing farmers to earn profits of roughly 100,000 to 120,000 taka per bigha.”
The agriculture officer further said: “Sabdarpur is a promising area for flower, fruit, and vegetable cultivation. Various high-value off-season vegetables are grown here. Beyond meeting local demand, farmers earn income by supplying these vegetables to various parts of the country. For this reason, we expect bean cultivation to expand further in the future.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report