RAJSHAHI, Jan 23: Cultivation of broccoli, a non-conventional winter vegetable, has gradually been gaining popularity in the region including its vast Barind tract for the last couple of years by dint of its lucrative market price and gradually mounting demand.
Side by side with other conventional winter vegetables, the cash crop is seen appearing in the local markets everyday bringing diversity in the vegetable markets both wholesale and retail ones. The non-conventional winter vegetable has started turning into conventional one.
Deputy Director of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Shamsul Haque said initiative has been taken to expand the farming of the cash crop among the farmers in general.
He said broccoli is a winter vegetable with high nutritional content. It is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
It looks like cauliflower but its colour is green and not milky white like cauliflower. Soil condition and winter weather in the region are favourable for broccoli cultivation.
Taking advantage of the situation, farmers are seen showing their interest in cultivating Broccoli for the last couple of years due to better output and market price.
He said there is a bright prospect of broccoli farming commercially in the country's northwest region.
Abul Kashem, a farmer of Parila village under Paba Upazila, said many farmers are cultivating the seasonal cash crop in the area as they are getting a better market price of their yield compared to many other crops.
Dr Shakhawat Hossain, Senior Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, said the cold weather being experienced in the region for the last couple of years which is suitable for cultivation of broccoli that is locally known as green cauliflower.
Almost similar to the cauliflower and its green leaves enriched with protein and vitamin C can be consumed directly. The price of broccoli in the markets is three to four times more than cauliflower. -BSS
