Farmers are cultivating tomatoes on hundreds of bighas of land on the banks of the Padma river in Rajshahi.
Silt and sand soil fall in this pasture. Forage soil being loamy soil is very strong.

Previously, there was no crop in pastures. But currently under the constant supervision and advice of the agricultural sub-assistants of the Rajshahi Agricultural Extension Department, different varieties of tomatoes are being cultivated in Padma pastures in Kholabna area of Haripur Union.

Asadul Haque, Abdus Sobahan and Siddique, the farmers of Haripur area who own the land of Padmar Char, said that tomatoes are being cultivated on about 100 bigha of land in this char. Tomatoes have done very well with scaffolding. Although the cost is a little higher, the farmers are benefiting as the market price is higher.

They also said that this time the farmers can earn more than crores of rupees by selling only tomatoes from this field. Farmers also said that they do not ripen tomatoes using ethiphen or any other bad hormones that are harmful to the human body.

They sell the tomatoes in the market after ripening the tomatoes according to the rules of nature. Farmers say they use organic fertilizers a lot. They use less chemical fertilizers than required. As a result, tomatoes are very tasty, they said. They said that with the way tomatoes are coming and the current prices in the market, they expect to make a good profit this time.

The farmers also said that once the tomatoes are over, they will cultivate cucumbers on the same land and use the same scaffolding. He mentioned that they will benefit more.

Farmer Siddique said, in the past years, no one from the agriculture office used to come to this Padma pasture. But this time an agricultural sub-assistant named Ashraful Islam is coming to this pasture. He is giving necessary advice for tomato and other crops.

By doing this they are benefiting a lot. Along with Ashraful’s advice, they are able to save crops from insect attack by putting organic pesticides, sticky yellow strips and sex pheromone insect traps on the land, he and other farmers also said.

Ashraful Islam, Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer of Paba Upazila Alimganj Bøk, said that loamy soil is good for tomato cultivation about disease control and cultivation methods. Before planting tomatoes, the land should be plowed 4-5 times and the soil should be loosened with a ladder. 20-25 cm high and 20-30 cm wide beds should be made for tomato cultivation in summer.

30 cm drain should be kept between 2 beds to facilitate irrigation. 25-30 days old seedlings can be planted in each bed at a distance of 60 x 40 cm in 2 rows. Tomato seedlings can be planted from mid-October to 1st week of Magh (November to mid-January). But in the hope of getting good prices, the farmers of padma pasture planted saplings from October 15 till the end of November, he said.

He also said that for the production of tomatoes, one has to apply fertilizer per hectare. 8-12 tons per hectare, urea 500-600 kg, TSP 400-500 kg, MP 200-300 kg. Half dung and TSP fertilizer should be sprinkled on the land at the time of final cultivation.

Remaining dung should be applied to the pit before planting. Also, Urea and MP 2 installments should be applied in ring method in the 3rd and 5th week of planting after lateral pruning, said the agriculture officer.

It is not enough to just plant seedlings. Before applying the fertilizer for the first and second time, the dead leaves along with the side shoots should be trimmed. It reduces disease and insect attack and increases fruit size. To facilitate the application of hormones and to prevent the trees from falling over in strong winds, farmers are cultivating tomatoes in this scaffolding system.

When asked about the disease, he said, leaf curling, yellowing of leaves, rusting of leaves and leaf spot disease. For their control, fungicides available in the market and approved by the Department of Agricultural Extension should be applied in consultation with the Assistant Agriculture Officer.

Tomatoes are also attacked by whiteflies, thrips, jab beetles, spider mites and fruit borers. To avoid this, conventional and approved pesticides should be used in the market. Also, using organic pesticide glue yellow stick and sex pheromone method will also save money. Agriculture officer Ashraful Islam said that people will be saved from chemical pesticides.