Fresh areas targeted for tobacco cultivation

Several companies are encouraging farmers to grow tobacco with free seeds and assurance to purchase it from the fields for fair prices as fresh areas of Kaliganj, Aditmari and Sadar upazilas under the district have been targeted for cultivation of the harmful item this season.

"I have prepared tobacco seedbed on four decimals of land for farming tobacco on three acres of land this year as a tobacco company has given me seeds free of cost. They also assured providing fertilisers for free,” said Nazrul Islam, 55, a farmer of Sarpukur village of Aditmari upazila.

"I and some other farmers of the village have prepared tobacco seedbeds for cultivating it on huge fresh areas this year as a company has given us the hope of getting windfall profit from it," said Shamsul Islam, 60, a farmer at Baninagar village of Kaliganj upazila.

"I grew tobacco on three acres of land last year but I have prepared 10 seedbeds on six decimals of land for cultivating it on six acres of land this year as I want to earn more profit," said Delowar Hossain, 55, a farmer of Karnapur village in Lalmonirhat Sadar.

Sources of different tobacco companies in Lalmonirhat said around 8,000 targeted farmers in three upazilas of the district cultivated tobacco on 25 thousand acres of land last year and the number of tobacco farmers is likely to increase much this year.

The companies provide cards to the targeted farmers, enabling them to enjoy different facilities, said sources of tobacco companies and farmers.

However, the figures mentioned by the tobacco companies show only one fourth of total tobacco farming lands as a good number of tobacco farmers do not get cards from the companies.

Besides, tobacco companies only take into account the lands for cultivating Virgin variety, although Jati and Matihar varieties are also cultivated on huge lands in the district.

Tobacco companies always provide support to encourage farmers to grow tobacco as the soil of Lalmonirhat district is suitable for its cultivation, said a representative of a tobacco company, seeking anonymity.

Admitting the situation of tobacco cultivation in the district, Aditmari Upazila Agriculture Officer Hamidul Haque said, "Agriculture officials often conduct awareness campaign among farmers not to cultivate tobacco on their lands."

Source:The daily star,09 december 2015