Farmers preference and challenges of producing oilseed crops in Bangladesh

Despite substantial agricultural and economic growth, the country is still 90% dependent on importing edible oil. Considering the importance of promoting oilseeds cultivation, Solidaridad Network Asia (SNA) in Bangladesh conducted a market assessment and feasibility study on challenges and opportunity of expanding edible oilseeds production in the country. The present paper presents the comprehensive report of the study which was carried out for 6 months from January 2024 to June 2024 using multiple techniques including literature reviews, survey questionnaires, conducting Key Informants Interviews (K-II) with a wide range of other relevant stakeholders and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with farmers in five Districts namely Dinajpur, Thakugaon, Tangail, Laksmipur and Noakhali. The findings indicated that in Laksmipur and Noakhali districts, farmers cultivate only soybeans as oilseed crop, while in Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Tangail the farmers cultivate mostly mustard. It was observed that farmers are cultivating some new varieties which are of high yielding, climate resilient and short duration resulted in making more profit than that of earlier time. Farmers of Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Tangail are now getting more yields through cultivating BARI sarisha-14 mustard variety, while they used to cultivate Tori-7 earlier. BU soybean 2 is better option for soybean production. Most of the farmers opined that cultivating oilseeds was more profitable as they can cultivate three crops in a calendar year. Factor analysis indicated that making decision to cultivate oilseeds was not an issue of single factor, instead temperature, rainfall, cash, irrigation equipment, input availability, comparison of profitability to other crops, quality of seeds, high yielding and short duration varieties were also determining factors. Farmers are fond of cultivating E S H mustard over other oilseeds like soybeans, sunflower or groundnut in the northern part of Bangladesh, while farmers of Noakhali and Lakshmipur preferred soybean. According to FGDs and K-II mustard suffers from thirteen diseases, while soybean from sixteen fungal, two bacterial and virus diseases, of which yellow mosaic virus and anthracnose are the major problems. Based on the findings it was recommended to ensure availability of high yielding climate resilient seeds, timely supply of fertilizer at a subsidized price, access to credit or financial support, area specific measures to solve the agricultural problems, forming effective farmers cooperatives, partnership between public-private research and extension organizations, involvement of next generations in farming, and introducing Rotating Savings and Credit Association (ROSCA) for sustainable and maximizing oilseeds production in Bangladesh.