Dulal Mia, Sunamganj
Farmers are benefiting from rice cultivation in Bishwamberpur upazila of Sunamganj. Bean cultivation has increased in various areas including Jinarpur, Chengbil, Dolura, Kapna, Guchchgram, Mathurkandi, Rampur, Mazair and Bhadertek of Salukabad and Dhanpur Union of the upazila. Around these villages near the border are now only bean gardens. As far as the eye can see only bean fields. The farmers here, who are rich in bean cultivation, have already made the area known as ‘bean area’. The beans here are locally called ‘Jinarpuri Uri’.

In addition to crop land, bamboo scaffolding is installed on small poles in house yards, canal banks, field lanes, fallow land or roadsides. His chest is spread with green leaves and pink flowers mixed with white. The bean has woken up through the flowers. From the various villages near the border of Biswambharpur to the Meghalaya hills in the north, one can understand that the entire area is like a ‘green canopy’. As the weather is favorable this time, there has been a bumper crop of beans. At the same time, the farmers also got good prices.
Farmers are turning to bean farming because of the opportunity to cultivate beans with low capital and the risk of losses is low. Bean cultivation is also more profitable than any other vegetable. Beans are also less susceptible to disease. Additional crops can also be grown by cultivation in field aisles and fallow land. Farmers are benefiting by selling as well as meeting their food needs. Beans produced in Biswambharpur meet the demand of the area and are supplied all over the country including the capital Dhaka.

Going to the ground, it can be seen that the farmers are busy picking beans. Many are picking beans from the fields with daily wage women workers. These low-income women workers are also happy to get work opportunities even with relatively low wages.

It is known that the beans produced here are exported all over the country including Sylhet, Dhaka, Comilla, Chittagong, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj and Noakhali. This time, the beans here have come to the market at the beginning of winter. They got fair price along with good yield. They are selling wholesale beans at the highest price of 110 taka and the lowest price is 20-25 taka.

According to the sources of the District Agriculture Extension Directorate, beans have been planted in 1 thousand 741 hectares of land in the district this year. Production per hectare is 17 million tons. In addition, the total production has been two thousand 950 million tons of beans.
Day laborer Rokeya, a resident of Govindanagar village in Palash union of Biswambharpur upazila, said, “We have 15 people working in the field. We can pick beans one by one all day long. But the wages are low. We get only 300 taka per day.”
Bean farmer of Kapna village of Salukabad union. Azizul Haque said, “This time I cultivated beans on five cares (one care of 30 percent) of land. The sale of beans has started on 4 cares of land. So far I have managed to sell two lakh rupees. I can sell the whole winter season.”

Nazrul Islam, a wholesale buyer of beans, said, “We buy beans from this area and deliver them to different parts of the country. We are buying them from farmers for 25 to 24 rupees per kg. Now the price will decrease further. Most of the beans can be bought from different villages of Salukabad Union.”

Bimal Chandra Som, Deputy Director of Sunamganj Agricultural Extension Directorate, said, “Bean cultivation is increasing in the district. Beans are being cultivated on a large scale in other areas including Salukabad of Biswamberpur. Farmers are also benefiting. Other farmers are also interested in bean cultivation. They are supplying their produced beans to different districts of the countryCommon people of the district can also buy different types of vegetables at low prices. We are always supporting them and giving necessary advice.”