Harvest of Soya bean, a source of edible oil, has started in northern districts including Gaibandha under Rangpur division during the current Kharip-2 season expecting desired output against the crop. Concerned sources said a total of 700 bighas of land of 1,100 farmers in eight northern districts of Rangpur district were brought under Soya bean cultivation this season to help the growers earn economical profit and meet its growing demand as well. Earlier, the field level officials of a private firm, Apex Organic Soya Industries Limited (AOSIL) in cooperation with Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) motivated the farmers to cultivate the crop on their land and also provided quality seed and technological support to them to make the farming a grand success. On Sunday last, a field day on the crop cutting organised by AOSIL was held at the crop field of one farmer Afsar Ali at Dighalkandi Baluapara under Palashbari upazila in the district to encourage the other farmers of the area to farm it in next seasons. Upazila agriculture officer Shawkat Osman addressed the function as the chief guest while senior team leader of AOSIL Goamur Rahman presided over the function. Mentioning Soya bean as a leguminous crop UAO Shawkat Osman said Soya bean is the richest plant of protein and it contains 43 percent protein as compared to other legumes which contains 20-25 percent protein. Soya bean fixes nitrogen from the environment and adds nitrogen to the soil, increases soil reserves of organic matter and soil aeration, improves soil structure and soil water-holding capacity and makes soil easier to till and thus maintains general soil health status, he also said. A farmer can grow Soya bean two times in Rabi and Kharip-2 seasons consecutively with nominal cost and also produce jute and other Aus crops in Kharip-1 season and in this way, the growers can get three crops in a year through systematic cultivation avoiding highly cost Boro paddy. Farmer Afsar Ali said average 9 maunds of Soya bean were produced from a bigha of land and the production cost against the crop was TK 3,000. A grower could earn TK 10,800 selling the variety at TK 1,200 per maund to the men of the firm, he said adding that the Soya bean cultivation was getting popularised to the farmers here day by day for being a profitable cash crop.