Farmers are cultivating tomato successfully in the region including the vast Barind tract. They are very enthusiastic and optimistic for high market price and suitable climatic condition.

“Many farmers have already changed their fortunes through tomato cultivation in the region. They can earn between Taka 30,000 to Taka 35,000 by cultivating tomatoes on each bigha of land in a season,” Abdur Rahim, a farmer of Palpur village under Godagari Upazila, told BSS.

Tomato cultivation has created job opportunities for hundreds of educated youths of the region and it could change the socio-economic condition of the poor if marketing and cost-effective environment-friendly technologies are ensured.

Target of the cash crop farming has been surpassed in Godagari Upazila of the district as it becomes famous for the cash crop by virtue of its better yield attained by the farmers during the last over a decade.

More than 4,000 hectares of land were brought under the farming only in the upazila this year, said Monzurul Haque, Additional Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

Meanwhile, although the early varieties of tomato are available in local market and it is selling high.

“One kilogram of tomato is being sold at Taka 80 to 100 per kilogram in local market. It is beyond the purchasing capacity of lower and lower middle-income people like us,” said Rajina Begum, a housewife living in Sagarpara of Rajshali city.

The wholesale price of a maund of tomato is now about Taka 2,500 to Taka 3,000, but its price will come down to Taka 100 per maund at the end of this season, tomato traders said.

Mustafizur Rahman, additional director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Rajshahi, said tomato farming is gaining popularity in the region, particularly in the vast tract of Barind area, as its cultivation is profitable here.

He said there was no shortage of quality hybrid-tomato seed of various brands this year. Moreover, due to strict control over marketing tomato seeds, no adulterated seed was sold here.

Agriculturist Rahman said tomatoes are widely cultivated in the region.  The total land under tomato cultivation doubled in the last seven years, while yield tripled.

Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) developed 10 high yielding and quality varieties and modern technologies for the farmers. The rates of production of the developed varieties are comparatively high and profitable than that of the domestic varieties.

As a result, tomato farmers were able to purchase quality seeds as their requirement. In the mean time, transplanting of tomato saplings has been completed.

Dr Shakhawat Hossain, senior scientific officer of BARI, said the soil and climatic condition of the entire region, including Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj, are very suitable for tomato cultivation. “So, it is now widely cultivated on the dry soil of the Barind area.”