March 26, 2007

Corn gains popularity in Bangladesh
 

Corn cultivation has been gaining popularity in Bangladesh's district of Pabna as farmers have devoted a 3,750-hectare for corn as against the original target of 1,950 acres due to favourable weather, reports the country's Department of Agriculture and Extension (DAE). 

DAE sources said, 1,466 metric tonnes of corn was produced by cultivating 1,870 acres of land in the district in the last season.

Agricultural Extension officials expected bumper corn production this season if the good weather persists.

Many farmers from the villages of Santhia, Chatmohor, Sadar and Atghoria upazilas have planted the crop as it offers attractive profits at low cost.

Sources said most of the lands have been brought under corn cultivation at Madhupur village in Sadar upazila where IRRI-Boro was cultivated three years ago.

Local farmers said, 40 to 50 maunds (per maund weighs 11.2 to 37.4 kilograms or  24.8 to 82.6 pounds) of corn can be produced on one bigha land (or a third of an acre) and per maund is sold at BDT (Bangladesh Taka) 400 to 500, thus BDT 20,000 to 22,000 can be earned from one bigha against the production cost of BDT 6000 to 7000.

Agricultural officer of Sadar upaila Makbul Hossain said the demand of corn as poultry feed has been increased as the number of poultry farms has been increasing in the country.

Note: 1 Bangladesh Taka = US$0.014