Aslam finds fortune in coloured cauliflower

A young farmer in Pabna Sadar upazila is trying his luck by growing colourful cauliflower as it is easy to grow and provides better returns than the white variety.  

Mohammad Aslam Ali of Beelviduria village has successfully cultivated yellow and dark purple variety of cauliflower for the first time this season on his one and a half bighas of land, considering its commercial value.

He took the initiative to introduce the new variety instead of the usual white not just for their beauty, but for their nutritional values as well.

After witnessing Aslam's success, many other growers in his locality are now becoming interested in cultivating the eye-catching variety -- yellow and dark purple cauliflower.

Meanwhile, seeing the coloured variety of cauliflower for the first time in the market a few days ago, many buyers showed their interest in buying the new variety instead of the white ones.

"I have collected the coloured cauliflower seeds from a nursery in Dhaka and planted those on my one and a half bighas of land at the beginning of this winter," Aslam said.

Aslam said he used to cultivate cauliflower on one bigha and spinach on another bigha land, but this year he cultivated coloured cauliflower on one and a half bighas land on an experimental basis.

"It cost me Tk 60,000 to cultivate the coloured variety on one and a half bighas land and I am expecting to earn Tk 1.2 lakh to Tk 1.5 lakh from the produce," he added.

Farmers can earn up to Tk 40,000 to Tk 50,000 by cultivating the traditional white variety, spending Tk 20,000 on one bigha land, Aslam further said.

While talking, Mohammad Nannu, a vegetable vendor at Abdul Hamid Road in the town, said each kilogramme of coloured cauliflower is being sold for Tk 80 to Tk 100, while the usual while variety cost Tk 40 to Tk 50.

Another farmer Dulal Hossain of the village said when Aslam fist started cultivating the colourful variety of cauliflower many thought it was completely madness nothing else.

But seeing his success, many others are now gradually getting interested in cultivating the new variety of cauliflower.

Pabna Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Deputy Director Jamal Uddin said the agriculture department has been conducting various researches on different new varieties of vegetables in order to get more production on small scale of land.