RANGPUR, Jan 21, 2019 (BSS) – Officials and experts of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) are expecting a better wheat production despite a shortfall in the fixed farming target this season in Rangpur agriculture region.
“Despite shortfall in the farming target, the tender wheat plants are growing excellent amid favourable climatic condition predicting better production this season,” Horticulture Specialist of DAE at its regional office Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam said today.
He said the farmers have cultivated wheat on 19,810 hectares of land, 3,953 hectares or 16.64 percent less than the fixed target of bringing 23,763 hectares under its farming this time in the region.
The DAE has fixed a target of producing 78,418 tonnes of wheat from 23,763 hectares of land in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari under the region during this Rabi season.
However, the farmers have cultivated wheat on 19,810 hectares of land including 1,610 hectares in Rangpur, 3,230 hectares in Gaibandha, 8,200 hectares in Kurigram, 1,440 hectares in Lalmonirhat and 5,330 hectares of land in Nilphamari districts this time.
“The fixed wheat farming target could not be achieved following decrease in interests of the farmers for blasts disease attacks on wheat plants in recent years, crop diversification and farming of maize on more lands,” Islam said.
However, the farmers are expected to achieve better yield of the crop despite shortfall in the farming target as they have sowed high quality, disease resistant and stress tolerant variety wheat seeds timely on their lands using latest technologies.
“The farmers have mostly cultivated high yielding varieties of wheat like ‘Bijoy’, ‘Pradip’, ‘Sotabdhi’, BARI Gom25, BARI Gom26, BARI Gom27, BARI Gom28 and BARI Gom29 this time on their lands,” he added.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md Moniruzzaman said harvest of wheat will begin from April next as 37.26 percent of the growing plants are at tillering, 49.34 percent at panicle initiation and 13.40 percent at booting stages now. “Cultivation of high yielding and stress tolerant varieties of wheat adopting conservation agriculture technologies is increasing now to get better yield at reduced costs saving huge seed, irrigation water, power and fuel for ensuring food security,” he added.
Talking to BSS, farmers Ariful Haque and Manik Mian of village Najirdigar in Rangpur said that they are expecting excellent wheat production this time as the tender plants growing superbly amid favourable climatic conditions.