Tobacco farming on rise as farmers get lucrative offers

Tobacco cultivation in the district sees much increase this year as representatives of different tobacco companies and their local brokers are giving lucrative offers to tempt the farmers for growing tobacco instead of paddy and vegetables.

With seeds received free of cost from the tobacco companies, tobacco farmers have already prepared their seedbeds for growing saplings, locals said.

“A tobacco company provided me seeds for cultivating tobacco on my eight bighas of land this year, whereas I cultivated it on five bighas last year,” said Nasir Uddin, 62, of Saptibari village of Aditmari upazila.

“Representatives of the company and local brokers recruited by them are monitoring tobacco cultivation in the village. They give us suggestions for growing the crop better,” he added.

“I have decided to cultivate tobacco on my four bighas of land this year, although it was only one bigha earlier. I have prepared seedbed in my courtyard to get tobacco saplings,” said Nazmul Islam, 35, of Sakoa village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Sudhir Chandra Barmon, 64, of Durakuti village in the same upazila said he and many other farmers have decided to grow tobacco on their lands as company representatives have assured them of good prices of the product this year.

“We have already got seeds, and we will get fertilisers and pesticides when tobacco saplings will be transplanted after three or four weeks,” he said.

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"We prefer cultivating tobacco to paddy and other crops during winter season as tobacco companies give us lucrative offers, including good prices and easy market facilities,” said Abu Taher Sheikh, 65, of Sarpukur village of Aditmari upazila.

Tobacco was cultivated on 23 thousand acres of land in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat last year, and the area to be used for the same purpose would be much more this year, said officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Lalmonirhat.

On condition of anonymity, an agriculture officer said the department usually records only 35 to 40 percent of the total tobacco cultivation area to avert notices from the higher authorities.

"Tobacco companies are responsible for alarming increase of tobacco cultivation in the region. Agriculture officials always work in the field level for building awareness among the farmers about the harmful effect of tobacco growing," said Safayet Hossain, deputy director of DAE in Lalmonirhat.

Source: thedailystar,Published: 12:00 am Sunday, November 09, 2014