Cumilla Correspondent:

More than 25 crores of vegetable seedlings are sold every season in different upazilas of Cumilla. The demand of this seedling in district is being called in different districts. More than 500 farmers are involved in this. Five thousands people are directly and indirectly involved in seedling business.

This business has been running for almost 50 years. According to local sources, this crop is being cultivated in Daklapara, Kalakchua, Sameshpur, Kabila, Nimsar, Chandina upazila, Debidwar upazila, Barura and Sadar south upazilas of Burichong upazila.  Seedlings are grown and sold from June to January.  The seedlings here are being sold in various districts including Chittagong, Noakhali, Feni, Chandpur, Brahmanbaria, Sylhet, Narayanganj. Traders do not sell any seedlings in the market.  Most of the buyers come and take the land.  Some people deliver on the bus if they order. Due to the good quality of fodder, the reputation of fodder in this area has spread throughout the country.

This includes 25 types of seedlings including cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, brinjal, gourd, cucumber, and broccoli. On the surface, it can be seen that Daklapara of Barichong Upazila of Cumilla  is near the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. Some land on the north side of the highway. Rows seed in the land. On which land the seller is negotiating the buyer. In which the seedlings are being raised for the buyer which one is being splashed with water. Some are resting in the loft set up in the corner of the land, some are eating. A few farmers including Abdur Rab said that the production of this seedling started in Daklapara of Burichong. Later it spread to other villages.  Increasing the price of seeds and fertilizers is reducing profits. 4 years ago one kg of cauliflower seeds was 75 thousand taka, now it is 96 thousand taka. A buyer from Feni named Kamal Hossain said; we take saplings from Burichong every year. The quality of fodder here is very good, the price is also affordable. Upazila Agriculture Officer Afrina Akhter said that the largest number of seedlings in the district is produced in Burichong. More saplings are produced in Sameshpur of the upazila.  Seedling production is playing a good role in the economy here. We are giving them technical support. Ayub Mahmud, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department, Cumilla, said that vegetable seedlings are produced in 114 hectares of land in the district. Seedlings are produced here in several stages for 8 months. We will train them to make them more efficient.