Faridpur growers incur losses

Rain, disease affect aubergine farming

Cultivation of aubergine (brinjal) in Faridpur has suffered a setback first by torrential rains in October and later by pest attack, leaving hundreds of farmers in a difficult situation.
Nearly 5000 farmers in the district are in dilemma about how to repay loans taken from NGOs at high interest rates for cultivation of the aubergine that has been damaged in the field.
Local farmers said different varieties of vegetables are being cultivated on 100 acres of land at Shaildubi village in Sadarpur upazila of the district. Of them, aubergine, a widely consumed vegetable, is cultivated abundantly.
 In the middle of its cultivation, during the month of October this year, heavy rainfall damaged the plants first. Later, the vegetable plants were affected by unknown disease and damaged extensively shattering the dreams of growers.
 Some farmers, including Mona Mia, Abbas Ali and Harun Sheikh, of Shaildubi village said at the initial stage of the season, they took micro credit from different NGOs to make the aubergine cultivation successful. These farmers are now under pressure for weekly repayment of NGO loans.
Solaiman Molla, another farmer of the village, said to compensate for the losses caused to aubergine plantation, farmers are trying to cultivate different other vegetables, including gourd, on the same land.
 G M Abdur Rouf, Deputy Director of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Faridpur, advised the farmers to cultivate different vegetables, including aubergine, in raised beds to avoid probable risk in future.

Faridpur growers incur losses

Rain, disease affect aubergine farming

Cultivation of aubergine (brinjal) in Faridpur has suffered a setback first by torrential rains in October and later by pest attack, leaving hundreds of farmers in a difficult situation. Nearly 5000 farmers in the district are in dilemma about how to repay loans taken from NGOs at high interest rates for cultivation of the aubergine that has been damaged in the field. Local farmers said different varieties of vegetables are being cultivated on 100 acres of land at Shaildubi village in Sadarpur upazila of the district. Of them, aubergine, a widely consumed vegetable, is cultivated abundantly. In the middle of its cultivation, during the month of October this year, heavy rainfall damaged the plants first. Later, the vegetable plants were affected by unknown disease and damaged extensively shattering the dreams of growers. Some farmers, including Mona Mia, Abbas Ali and Harun Sheikh, of Shaildubi village said at the initial stage of the season, they took micro credit from different NGOs to make the aubergine cultivation successful. These farmers are now under pressure for weekly repayment of NGO loans. Solaiman Molla, another farmer of the village, said to compensate for the losses caused to aubergine plantation, farmers are trying to cultivate different other vegetables, including gourd, on the same land. G M Abdur Rouf, Deputy Director of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Faridpur, advised the farmers to cultivate different vegetables, including aubergine, in raised beds to avoid probable risk in future.