Tk 117.25b mustard production this year

Staff Correspondent: The country expects to earn Tk 117.25 billion from mustard cultivation this year, thanks to the government’s initiatives encouraging farmers to increase agricultural production to boost the food basket.
In recent years, mustard cultivation has grown significantly due to higher yields and extra profits in a short period of time, said agriculturalists.
Department of Agricultural Extension director general Badal Chandra Biswas told that higher mustard prices last year and high demand for oil seed encouraged farmers to cultivate mustard.
“In addition, the government provides 10 lakh farmers with high-yielding seeds and fertilizers, as well as assistance so that they can cultivate mustard while growing Aman paddy,” he said.
With lucrative prices and high demand from edible oil mills and animal feed factories, mustard acreage has increased dramatically.
The country is expected to produce around 9.38 lakh tonnes of mustard worth around Tk 117.25 billion this year.
The mustard cultivation target for this year was 6.70 lakh hectares, while farmers cultivated the crop on 7,97,672 hectares, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
According to DAE, mustard production may reach 9.38 lakh tonnes this year. Last year, mustard was priced around Tk 5,000 per mound (40kg). If this price continues this year, the country may produce mustard worth around Tk 117.25 billion.
A total of 8,24,300 tonnes of mustard were produced from 5,91,784 hectares of land last year. This year, mustard acres have increased by 205,888 hectares.
According to the DAE DG, farmers are growing different improved varieties of mustard between the Aman and Boro paddy seasons.
It is also profitable for farmers to cultivate bees in their mustard fields, according to him. According to the DG, the government is attempting to produce around 40 percent of edible oil via local cultivation.
Saiful Islam, a farmer from Jhenaidah, said he cultivated mustard on one bigha of land last year and made a profit of approximately Tk 20,000 from its sale.
He said he cultivated mustard on two bighas of land this year and expects a higher production, adding that many farmers have planted mustard this year after witnessing a good price.
There is a gradual shift in health-conscious people moving away from soybean and palm oils in the country to mustard, sunflower, and other healthy oils.
As a result of high demand, many entrepreneurs buy mustard from local areas like Manikganj, Tangail, Sirajganj, Pabna, and Jhenaidah.
The government has set a roadmap to raise local edible oil production by nearly 200 per cent within the financial year (FY) 2024-25, which could meet a minimum of 40 per cent of the country’s total demand.