50,000 per month in Capsicum cultivation in Bhitramband, Kurigram.

Saifur Rahman Shamim, Kurigram :

Ripon Mia, son of Ameer Ali of Bhitarband union of Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram, has succeeded in cultivating the winter vegetable capsicum.  He was inspired to grow capsicum by watching YouTube and became successful.  He now earns 50,000 taka per month by cultivating capsicum along with other crops.  Farmers’ interest in this vegetable cultivation is increasing due to more profit in less time.  However, they are not able to make a revolution due to lack of government marketing initiatives.

 Md.  Talking to Ripon Mia, it is known that he was in exile in search of livelihood.  He left the nomadic life and came to the village and turned to agriculture for self-employment.  Since his own land was not enough, he started cultivating capsicum by leasing other people’s land.  In the first year, he made a profit by cultivating 1 bigha of land.  Next year he started farming on two bigha land and now he is farming on 4 bigha land.  Hearing about his profit, there is increasing interest in capsicum cultivation in the area. He said, “I had no idea about capsicum.  After watching YouTube, I took the initiative to actually cultivate this. Along with cucumber, cauliflower cultivation, the winter vegetable Capsicum is getting good income.  50 grams of capsicum seeds are required for 1 bigha of land.  The price of seeds is 13 thousand rupees.  The cost is a little higher as the saplings have to be produced with cocopeat. Ripon Mia said, “Due to high prices of fertilizers and pesticides this year, 1 lakh rupees have been spent per bushel.  So far I have sold capsicum worth 3 lakh rupees from 4 bigha land.  There are still plenty of capsicums in the field.  Hope the profit will be better than other years.  There is no demand for Capsicum in the local market.  I am selling it at the price of Tk 120 per kg in the caravan market of Dhaka.

 Daily laborer Ibrahim Hossain said, “I take care of Ripon Bhai’s capsicum cultivation.  4 people like me work here and run the family.  Cultivation of Capsicum requires less effort, more profit.  There are two types of Capsicum in the land, Indira and Tiger.  Many people come here to see the cultivation of capsicum. Abdul Hamid, a farmer who came to see the cultivation of capsicum, said, “For the past two years, I have seen that Ripon Bhai has earned millions of rupees by cultivating capsicum.”  Hopefully in the future I will also start cultivating capsicum.

 Biplab Kumar Mohant, Deputy Director of Kurigram Agriculture Extension Department said, “Ripon Mia is cultivating capsicum on 4 bigha land in Nageshwari upazila.  For the past two years, he alone has been farming.  Arrangements have been made to obtain advice and fair price fertilizers from the Agriculture Office.  Cooperation will be provided with agricultural loans, seeds and incentives.