Photo: Collected
Rafiqul and Brishti, a farmer couple from Chandpur village in Hapania union of Sadar upazila of Barendra district, have cultivated a new variety of 'Lau Begun' (eggplant), which has created a huge response in the district. From a distance, it looks like a gourd. But when you get close, you will be mistaken. The medium-sized gourd-like vegetable is a well-known brinjal. The variety is called BARI-12.
According to the Naogaon Agriculture Office, the BARI-12 variety of 'Lau Begun' has been cultivated for the first time in the district. Each brinjal weighs one to one and a half kilograms. Each tree has produced at least 7 to 8 kilograms of brinjal. Since the yield and quality of this brinjal are better than other varieties of brinjal, its price in the market is also higher. This brinjal has fewer diseases and pests. It also requires less irrigation. Its filling is delicious, and its taste is also incomparable in stir-fries and other dishes. Its seedlings are planted in early December and its yield is available from the end of February.
Deputy Director of the District Agricultural Extension Department, Abul Kalam Azad, told BSS, "This brinjal has various nutrients. Vitamins and iron. It is also a powerful antioxidant. Due to its high iron content, it helps in eliminating anemia. Due to its vitamin 'A', it nourishes the eyes and works against all eye diseases. This brinjal contains a lot of calcium and magnesium. Which are beneficial for teeth and bones. This new variety of brinjal weighs more than other conventional brinjals. That is why some call it 'kg brinjal' and some call it 'gourd brinjal'. This brinjal is a high-yielding cash crop and is tolerant to bacterial wilt disease."
Rakiful Islam (35), son of Abdul Hamid of Chandpur village of Hapania union in Naogaon Sadar upazila. After studying up to the sixth standard, he could not continue his studies. At a young age, he was forced to take care of the family due to family needs. After that, he slowly started cultivating different types of vegetables, but could not succeed. Seeing no other way, he and his wife Brishti Banu became members of the non-governmental development organization 'Mousumi'. In 2024, with the help of Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), they took training in the 'BARI-12' variety of brinjal cultivation from Moushumi. After the training, they were given 600 brinjal seedlings from Moushumi. The Rafiqul-Brishti couple planted these 600 brinjal seedlings on their own 15-acre land. Now, those trees have borne a lot of brinjals.
Rakiful Islam told BSS, last week, I took one and a half maunds of brinjal to Naogaon market. After taking it to the market, everyone was asking, 'Is this brinjal or brinjal?' Where other brinjals cost 500 taka a maund, I sold it there for 1600 taka a maund. It was over in a flash. The profit of this brinjal is 4 times that of other brinjals. He said that people come from far and wide to see this brinjal every day.
Rafiqul's wife Brishti Banu (22) told BSS, "The seasonal office gave 600 seedlings of a new variety of gourd and brinjal for the 15th century land. Those seedlings have grown and are now producing brinjals. Each brinjal weighs one to one and a half kilograms. I have made a lot of profit by taking them to the market and selling them. I thank and express my gratitude to Mousumi for this."
When I visited Rafiqul's brinjal field, I saw that people from nearby villages were flocking to see the brinjal field. Ruhul Amin and Keramatullah, who came to see the brinjal field, said, "I have never seen such big brinjals. It is hard to believe that a brinjal weighs one to one and a half kilograms. We will also cultivate this brinjal next year."
Mousumi's agriculture officer Mahmudul Hasan Arif said, with the financial assistance of PKSF, Mousumi has given these gourd and brinjal seedlings to the Rafiqul couple. They have been successful. Their production has also been quite good. Which has received a lot of response in the district.
Deputy Director of the District Agricultural Extension Department, Abul Kalam Azad, said, this new variety of brinjal yields 5 to 7 tons per bigha. If farmers can be trained in the ease of obtaining seeds and production techniques, and in the production and preservation of seeds of this variety of brinjal, this variety of brinjal will quickly spread widely at the field level. This will benefit the farmers financially.
Source: Online/GFMM
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