Naogaon farmers make a fortune on mustard and honey

Naogaon district is seeing a significant boost in mustard cultivation this season, with 60,100 hectares of land dedicated to the crop.

This growth in mustard farming is being complemented by the work of beekeepers, who have installed 8,300 bee boxes across the fields.

This integrated approach is benefiting both farmers and beekeepers, resulting in increased mustard yields and a growing honey harvest.

The mustard fields across Naogaon are now in full bloom, creating an eye-catching sight. Beekeepers have placed their bee boxes alongside the mustard crops to assist with pollination.

"If there is a presence of bees in the mustard field, the yield of mustard increases by 30% to 35% more than normal," said Shayla Sharmin, an agriculture officer in Manda Upazila.

She explained that bee pollination improves the quality of mustard seeds and boosts overall yields, while fields without bees see lower production.

According to the Naogaon District Office of the Department of Agricultural Extension, mustard has been cultivated on 60,100 hectares of land across 11 upazilas this year.

As of Thursday, 82 beekeepers have installed 8,300 bee boxes, collecting honey from the mustard flowers.

The Agriculture Department estimates that 270,000 kg (270 metric tons) of honey will be collected from these hives this season. "Honey is sold at a price of Tk400 per kg, so honey worth about Tk10.80 crore can be collected from mustard flowers in the district this year," the department added.

The most significant concentration of mustard cultivation is in Manda upazila, where mustard has been planted on 1,700 hectares of land. Mustard is cultivated on seven to eight bighas of land every year.

"Usually, in other years, the low-lying lands of the field would remain waterlogged until mid-December. However, this time, due to less rainfall during the monsoon, the water has receded from the low-lying lands before November," said Abdul Majid, a farmer from Manda. He added that he expects a good yield from his mustard fields.

Abu Bakkar Sujan, another beekeeper from Manda, said it has been 20 days since I set up bee boxes in Satil and Pirakoir fields.

"So far, I have been collecting honey from 300 boxes four times. Each time, 7 to 8 kg of honey is obtained from a box. So far, I have collected about 9,000 kg," Sujan shared. He expects to continue harvesting for another two weeks before moving to another field.

Abul Kalam Azad, another beekeeper, added, "So far, I have collected honey from 400 boxes twice. Each time, 7 to 8 kg of honey is obtained from a box. So far, I have collected 5,800 kg of honey. Honey can be obtained from that field for three more weeks." He confirmed that, once the mustard flowers decrease, he will relocate his bees to other fields.

The growing popularity of mustard cultivation and honey production has encouraged more farmers to get involved.

"I have been collecting honey by setting up beehives next to my mustard field for 6 years after taking training on beehives from a beekeeper in Tanor upazila of Rajshahi," said Humayun Kabir, a farmer from Satil village.

"Last year, I sold honey worth Tk13 lakh from 100 boxes. This time, the price of honey is higher. So, honey worth Tk15 to 16 lakh can be collected from 100 boxes," he hoped.

Abul Kalam Azad, deputy director of the district's Agricultural Extension Department, said that they are actively supporting the increase in mustard farming.

"This year, mustard has been cultivated on 60,100 hectares of land in Naogaon. As of Sunday, 8,300 bee boxes have been set up next to these lands. The bees in the boxes are collecting honey from the mustard flowers. This is helping in the pollination of the mustard flowers. As a result, on the one hand, mustard yield is increasing, and on the other hand, beekeepers are getting additional honey. Both farmers and beekeepers are benefiting from integrated farming," he explained.

In addition, the Agriculture Department has distributed free seeds and fertilisers to 57,000 farmers this year, helping them cultivate mustard on one bigha of land.

The varieties of mustard cultivated include high-yielding Ufshi types such as Bari-14, Bari-15, and Bari-17, along with the local Tori-7 variety.

As the mustard flowers continue to bloom, Naogaon's fields are thriving, benefiting from both the higher crop yields and the honey harvest.

This integrated farming model is proving to be a win-win for both the agricultural and beekeeping sectors, providing a sustainable source of income for farmers and beekeepers alike.