RAJSHAHI, Feb 23, 2019 (BSS)- Seedling transplantation of Irri-boro paddy
has got a highest peak as the farmers put in their level best efforts to
complete the transplantation process in due time.
At present, the farmers are passing their busy days in seedling
transplantation and nursing of the newly transplanted tender plants
everywhere in all eight districts under Rajshahi division including its vast
Barind tract.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has set a target of producing
33.17 lakh tonnes of Boro rice from 8.11 lakh hectares of land under the
division in the current season. Already, the farmers transplanted seedlings
on more than 6.72 lakh hectares of land.
They also raised seedbeds on 48,138 hectares of land against the target of
41,838 hectares of land fixed by DAE.
“We are very much hopeful about exceeding the target of seedling
transplantation like the seedbed,” expects SM Mustafizur Rahman, Additional
Director of DAE, while talking to BSS here today.
The marginal farmers were provided necessary fertilizers like Di-ammonium
Phosphate (DAP) and Murat of Potash (MoP) as incentives to facilitate smooth
Boro paddy farming.
Agriculturist Rahman said steps have been taken to ensure smooth Boro rice
cultivation this season. The farming is going on in full swing across the
region as they are optimistic of harvesting the crop early, he added.
“I have already cultivated Boro on eight bighas of land this season”, said
Lokman Hossain, a farmer in Mohadebpur upazila, adding, “I will bring some
more lands under the farming within a very short time.”
The DAE has distributed some 20-kg seeds of Boro rice, 20-kg DAP and 10-kg
MoP fertilisers free of cost to each farmer.
President of Water Management Association of Paba Nurul Amin said, “The
farmers of my area are now busy in Boro cultivation. I am cultivating Boro on
six bighas of land when it was only three-bigha in last year.
Abdullah Heel Kafi, regional agriculture information officer, said the DAE
and other agriculture-related organisations, Power Development Board and
Rural Electrification Board are ensuring smooth supply of seed, fertilizers
and electricity to the farmers to ensure smooth Boro paddy cultivation.
Kafi expected that the farmers would largely adopt conservation agriculture
technologies in farming Boro paddy to increase its output reducing lifting of
underground water, saving electricity and improving environment.
He said the farmers were imparted training on how to adopt conservation
agriculture technologies like Alternate Drying and Wetting irrigation method
at a larger scale then farming of Boro paddy to save irrigation for
increasing its output at reduced costs.
“We have full preparation for extending irrigation to the paddy fields,”
said Engineer Abdur Rashid, Executive Director of Barind Multipurpose
Development Authority (BMDA), ever-largest irrigation providing state-owned
entity in country’s northwest region.