Use of vermicompost fertilizer increases in Tangail farmlands

The use of biological or vermicompost fertilizer has increased in Delduar upazila in Tangail district.

As a result, this compost will revive the quality of the soil and help produce chemical-free crops and fruits. Thus, farmers are making more profits with less expenditure.

Crops produced using chemical fertilizers and adulterated food were causing diseases to turn into epidemics. There is no better alternative to organic fertilizers.

Organic or vermicompost fertilizers also help to reduce costs, which is why the famers of Delduar prefer this particular compost for their farmlands.

The agriculture department also encourages farmers to make use of organic compost instead of  chemical or toxic fertilizers for harvest.

The Upazila Agriculture Department has taken the initiative to increase the use of organic fertilizer instead of chemical ones. To this end, they trained 20 farmers of the upazila to concoct vermicompost fertilizer.

The farmers have achieved great success utilizing vermicompost fertilizers on their lands. One of them is Rina Begum from the upazila's Atia union, who has been using this compost for nearly a year and a half. As a result, locals in her area or surrounding areas try to follow in her footsteps.

Visiting Rina's residence, this correspondent found eight Bari (Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute) potato plants, 14 Bari tomatoes, eight Bari brinjals, Bari onion, six Bari peas, shahi papaya, four Bari gourds, litchi, mango, to Bari hog plums, jackfruit, sugarcane, three Bari mangos, turmeric, ginger, Bari lemon, and many more crops were being cultivated in her courtyard.

Rina Begum is receiving good yields of all crops because of vermicompost fertilizer, and financially benefitting as well.

She said she had been making around six mounds vermicompost fertilizer every two months. Sometimes she sells the fertilizers for Tk25 per kg as well.

Rina said: "I started using vermicompost fertilizer after receiving the training. As a result, demand for my vegetables in the markets have increased. I have earned a good reputation along with making better profits."

Following Rina Begum, other farmers of the area also utilizing organic fertilizer, thereby increasing the usage of vermicompost fertilizer and resulting in enhanced harvests.

Rina Begum's husband Mainuddin said he assists Rina in her agriculture work, and also provides crop seedlings to locals and shows them the way to use vermicompost fertilizer.

Another farmer Sarwar-e-Alam also said vermicompost fertilizers had provided him with good yields in wheat and mustard.

Commenting on the matter, Atia Union Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Mehedi Hasan said vermicompost fertilizer increases the capacity of soil to produce better crops.

He said 10-15kg of fertilizer can be used for fruit trees and 30-40kg in the case of vegetables.

In this regard, Delduar Upazila Agriculture Officer Shoaib Mahmud said the Upazila Agriculture Department is working to increase the use of organic fertilizers in this upazila.

If the utilization of vermicompost or organic fertilizer increases throughout the country, people's health could be improved.