Sunflower harvesting is progressing in full swing across Bangladesh's Khulna region, with 64 percent of the crop already harvested as of Tuesday in the current rabi season (2025-26). Fields across the region have turned bright yellow with blooming sunflowers, raising hopes among farmers for better utilisation of saline fallow land and new income opportunities.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), sunflower cultivation has expanded to 1,608 hectares this season in the Khulna region, which includes Khulna, Bagerhat, Narail and Satkhira districts. The figure marks a significant rise from last year's 1,219 hectares.
Initially, the DAE had set a production target of 2,945 metric tonnes from 1,319 hectares. However, officials are now expecting production to reach around 3,214 metric tonnes from the expanded cultivation area. DAE data shows that harvesting progress varies across districts, with 61 percent completed in Khulna (356 hectares), 50 percent in Bagerhat (306 hectares), 86 percent in Satkhira (195 hectares), and 88 percent in Narail (168 hectares).
A farmer, Mahtab Hossain of Tipna village, said sunflower performs well even on saline land where many other crops fail. "It requires less irrigation and minimal care, making it increasingly attractive to farmers," he said.
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