Farmers in Asharikandi boost income with mustard seed cultivation
Despite challenges such as lack of govt support and reliance of middlemen, the crop offers a promising source of income.
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Gauripur, Dec 21: Mustard seed cultivation has brought new hope to the farmers of Asharikandi village near Gauripur in Dhubri district.
Farmers such as Abdul Sahid Ali, Dewan Ali, Jahan Ali, Manmohan Barman, Ananda Barman, Nazimuddin, Raham Ali, and Kader Ali have cultivated mustard seeds on plots of land near their residences that measure two bighas, or 2.5 bighas, or 3.5 bighas, or 5 bighas.
They generally sow the seeds in the month of October and November and harvest the mature mustard plants at the end of March. After preparing the fields, they use fertilisers like urea, DAP, and super phosphate to enhance crop yield. They generally collect seeds at the rate of Rs 70- 80 per kg from the local market, but some of them sow seeds from their own stock. After sowing the seeds, the mustard plants begin to flower within 25 days or so.
The farmers told this correspondent that they get 4-5 mounds of mustard seeds per bigha of land and usually sell their produce at Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,200 per mound. If luck favours them, they manage to sell their produce even at Rs 8,500 per mound.
When this correspondent asked the farmers about any help received from the government, they lamented that not even a single officer from the agriculture department has ever come forward to offer suggestions regarding mustard cultivation. Moreover, there is no minimum support price (MSP) for the mustard seeds in their area and there is no centre for sale in their locality. As a result, they have to depend on middlemen. The farmers urged upon the government to help them in their effort to cultivate mustard seeds in more and more areas of land to increase production.
