Beans of boons

Broad bean farmers in Kharnia village under Dumuria upazila of Khulna expect good profit from cultivating early varieties of the crop this year, given that the weather remains favourable.

Like Kharnia, where more than 80 per cent of the residents are now growing broad beans in the off-season, some 4,000 farmers from 150 villages in the upazila are cultivating the crop on around 225 hectares of land, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

"Growing early variety broad beans in the off-season is more profitable than sowing it in winter as it can be sold at a higher price," said Md Hafizur Rahman, deputy director of the DAE office in Khulna.

"At present, early variety broad beans are being sent to different areas of Bangladesh, including Dhaka, to meet the needs of those areas," he added.

Abu Hanif Moral, a farmer of Kharnia village, was able to change his fortune by cultivating broad beans that are free of harmful pesticides and other chemicals.

Growing early variety broad beans in the off-season is more profitable than sowing it in winter as it can be sold at a higher price Md Hafizur Rahman, deputy director of the DAE office in Khulna

Besides, many people in neighbouring villages have started cultivating broad beans alongside their fish farms with assistance from Hanif, who is a pioneer of integrated farming in the region.

"I cultivated around one acre of poison-free broad beans alongside my seven-and-a-half bigha fish enclosure next to the Khulna-Satkhira highway," he said.

Hanif went on to say that he planted the seeds in the middle of May and harvested his first batch of beans in just 60 to 65 days.

He generally uses compost as a fertiliser and applies pheromone traps to control pests, ensuring that his crops are safe to eat.

Spending about Tk 90,000 on input costs, such as wages and irrigation, Hanif sold some 200 to 300 kilogrammes (kgs) of broad beans each week for Tk 90 to Tk 100 per kg just 15 days ago.

Now, he is selling the crop for Tk 45 to Tk 50 per kg and hopes to earn Tk 9-10 lakh in total by the end of the season barring any natural calamity.

Hanif is also enjoying success in cultivating bitter gourd as well as fish farming.

During a visit to at least 10 villages in the upazila, including Gutudia, Bandha, Taltala and Baratia, it was seen that hundreds of farmers are busy cultivating broad beans.

Some were seen picking up the beans and putting them into sacks while others were spraying pesticides.

Kartik Mondal, a farmer of Bandha village, said he cultivated broad beans on three bighas of land.

"I harvested more than 16 maunds of broad beans each week and sold them for Tk 3,200 to Tk 4,000 per maund [roughly 37 kgs] around 15 to 20 days ago," he said.

Although the increased supply of broad beans has brought down prices for the crop since then, the current prices are still sufficient for farmers to turn a decent profit.

"Now I am selling the beans for Tk 40 to Tk 55 per kg. I spent Tk 15,000 per bigha on seeds, irrigation and labour costs and already sold Tk 2.05 lakh worth of the crop. I expect to earn another Tk 2-3 lakh in the next couple of months," Kartik added.

The farmer then said that the cultivation of early varieties of broad beans usually starts in July and farmers can harvest them from mid-September.

More than 225 hectares of land across 14 unions of the upazila have been brought under early variety broad bean cultivation and farmers expect to collect 2,500 tonnes of the crop, accounting for about 80 per cent of the production in Khulna.

Md Inshad Ibne Amin, upazila agriculture officer of Dumuria, told The Daily Star that Ruposhi Bangla, Mohadeb, LC and Rupban varieties are considered among farmers as early varieties of broad bean.

"Bean growers prefer to plough early variety broad beans for good profit before winter. Heavy rain never affects production as it grows in high land," he said.

"Every year, early bean cultivation is increasing among farmers considering that it provides ample returns," Amin added.