Farmers to exceed Boro farming target likely in Rangpur region

Published : 12 Feb 2021, 13:21

Sahos Desk

Farmers have already brought 88.70 percent of the targeted land area under Boro rice cultivation in Rangpur agriculture region and they are likely to exceed the fixed farming target during this Rabi season.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers have put maximum efforts in bringing more lands under Boro rice cultivation, braving the COVID-19 pandemic, to recoup crop losses they incurred during recent floods.

“The government is extending assistance to farmers to make the Boro rice farming programme successful as transplantation of seedlings is nearing completion,” said Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Agriculturalist Md. Moniruzzaman.

The DAE has fixed a target of producing 21.54 lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice (32.31 lakh tonnes of paddy) from 4.96 lakh hectares of land for all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region this season.

“Enthusiastic farmers have already transplanted Boro rice seedlings on 4.40 lakh hectares of land, 88.70 percent against the fixed farming target, till Thursday as seedling transplantation continues in the region,” he said.

With improvement of the cold wave situation during the past couple of weeks, farmers have accelerated transplantation of Boro rice seedlings to complete the process timely in the region.

“The DAE with other related agriculture organisations, Power Development Board and Rural Electrification Board are ensuring smooth supply of fertilisers and electricity to farmers to ensure smooth Boro rice cultivation this season,” Moniruzzaman said.

Getting assistance from the government, farmers are expected to exceed the fixed Boro rice farming target in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts of the region to recoup the huge crop losses they incurred during last floods.

Farmers are adopting conservation agriculture (CA)-based technologies and better agronomic management while farming Boro rice to save irrigation water and increase rice output at reduced costs in the region this season.

“So far, farmers applied organic fertilisers on 2.69 lakh hectares of Boro rice fields against targeted 43,989 hectares and balanced fertilisers on 3.46 lakh hectares against targeted 2.63 lakh hectares of land as the process continues,” Moniruzzaman added.

Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturalist Mamunur Rashid said transplantation of Boro rice seedlings has already been completed in the low-lying char lands, beels and riverine areas in the region.

“Farmers have brought more low-lying char lands, beels and riverine areas under Boro rice farming to complete its harvest before commencement of the rainy season and recoup huge crop losses they incurred during recent floods,” he added.

Agriculturist Dr. Md. Abdul Mazid, who got the Independent Medal 2018 (food security), lauded the government for extending necessary assistance to farmers for making the Boro rice farming programme a success in the region.

He suggested farmers for large-scale adoption of CA-based technologies like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation method and use if balanced and organic fertilisers to get maximum Boro rice yield at reduced costs also saving underground water.

Talking to BSS, farmers Echhahaq Ali, Ariful Haque, Manik Mian and Mohsin Ali of different villages in Rangpur said they have completed transplantation of Boro rice seedlings and are nursing growing tender rice plants on their crop lands.

Source: BSS

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