ACI Seed’s Sunflower Hysun 36: Towards Self-Sufficiency in Edible Oil

Agrilife24.com: ACI Seed organized a field day program for Hysun 36, a promising sunflower variety, at Aajgarkathi, Naltona, Sadar, Barguna On 27 April 2024, . Mr. Md. Abu Zubair Hossain Bablu, Joint Secretary and Director General, Seed Wing, Ministry of Agriculture, graced the occasion as the chief guest, delivering a speech emphasizing the nutritional value of sunflower and expressing satisfaction with the variety's performance.

The presence of esteemed guests such as Mr. Md. Saiful Alam, Additional Director, Field Service Wing, DAE, Khamarbari, Dhaka; Mr. Deb Das Saha, General Manager, Seed, BADC & Mr. ASM Badrul Alam, Additional Director, Crop, Barguna added significant value to the field day program.

Mr. Sudhir Chandra Nath, Business Director, ACI Seed, coordinated the program, sharing invaluable insights about Hysun 36. He highlighted its characteristics as a short-term drought and saline-tolerant variety, with a harvest period of 100-110 days and an impressive oil content of 46-48 percent, making it an attractive option for oilseed production. The projected yield of 12-12.5 Mond per Bigha underscores its potential for high productivity, a crucial factor for farmers assessing its economic viability.

Dr. ABM Ziaur Rahman, Country Manager, Advanta Seed International; Mr. Golam Sobhan, Portfolio Manager; Mr. Golam Mostafa, Portfolio Manager; Mr. Ferdous Alam, Area Sales Executive, Barisal and Territory Officer participated in the program along with more than 300 participants including dealers, retailers and farmers. The positive feedback and satisfaction expressed by farmers regarding the variety's performance in their fields, coupled with their keen interest and readiness to cultivate Hysun 36 in the upcoming season, further validate its success and acceptance among the farming community.

To address the country’s edible oil demand and reduce import dependency, ACI Seed has taken a commendable initiative to work with government organizations to promote the cultivation of sunflower variety Hysun 36 in the south region. Aligned with the government's objective of amplifying oil crop production, Hysun 36 seeds have been distributed to farmers across various regions through the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in partnership with the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Hysun 36 stands out as a short-duration, drought-resistant, and salinity-tolerant sunflower variety, heralding a significant breakthrough in agriculture, particularly for the southern region. Adaptable to diverse climates and soil conditions, Hysun 36 offers a plethora of benefits, including higher yields, enhanced disease resistance, and elevated oil content. To evaluate its efficacy, ACI Seed has employed a systematic approach involving demonstrations and field day programs.