Agri experts in a function here yesterday urged the farmers to farm sweet potato (Japanese variety) at larger scale to get desired output and economic profit to change their lots.

“This variety has the much nutritional values as it contains Vitamin A and beta carotene which are very essential for building human body”, they said.

They made the comments while addressing a field day on the harvest of the variety at Chandanpat village under Kachua union of Shaghataupzila in the district on Monday noon.

ShaghataUpazilaAgriculture Office under the Department of Agricultural Extension(DAE) organized the function under Tuber Crops Development project of the government to inspire the local farmers to cultivate the variety in next seasons.

Deputy director(DD) of the DAE agriculturist Md. Masudur Rahman addressed the function as the chief guest and district training officer of the department agriculturist SaheraBanu, additional DD Md. Kamruzzman and senior manager of Japan based Naroo company in Bangladesh Mezbaul Islam were present at the event as the special guests.

Terming the variety as the source of Vitamin A and beta carotene the experts in their speeches said, the soil and weather of the district are very suitable for farming the variety.

As the demand of the sweet potato is high in Japan, the experts urged the farmers to farm the variety on their land at larger scale to earn economic profit.

DD Masudur Rahman in his speeches said, 90 maunds of sweet potato are produced from a bigha of land.

The sweet potato would be exported to Japan through a Japan based Naroo company in Bangladesh, he added.

Upazila agriculture officer Md. Sadequzzman said, a total of 15 demonstration plots of sweet potato (Japanese variety) had been set up in the upazila to motivate the farmers to cultivate it in farmers’ level next season.

As the production of the variety is satisfactory the farmers present expressed their eagerness to farm the variety on their land in future.

A large number of farmers, agri officials and local elite including journalists were present on the occasion.