Khadija Begum's Mulch Vegetable Farm

About

Khadija Begum (28), a woman agri-entrepreneur from South-East Dashmina village in Dashmina Sadar union, Patuakhali, has grown bitter gourd and cucumber commercially under plastic mulch for the first time in the upazila. On one acre she planted 50 decimals of bitter gourd and 50 of cucumber; the soil is prepared, covered with special polythene and seedlings planted through holes, which keeps weeds down, saves water and allows safe vegetables with organic fertiliser and no pesticide. The total cost was Tk 60,000, of which Tk 40,000 came as agriculture department support through the SACP and RAINS projects (seed, fertiliser, mulch paper, a sprayer and cash); her own share was Tk 20,000. She has already sold 70-80 maunds of cucumber for Tk 40,000 and 7 maunds of bitter gourd for Tk 20,000, and expects about Tk 70,000 more from another 25 maunds of bitter gourd, for a profit of over Tk 1 lakh. Vegetable traders at Dashmina bazar say the produce sells fast because of its quality. Her husband, farmer Anwar Hossain, helps her.

Products and services

• Cucumber

  Pesticide-free, grown under mulch; 70-80 maunds sold for Tk 40,000

• Bitter gourd

  Pesticide-free, grown under mulch; 7 maunds sold for Tk 20,000

Address and hours