RANGPUR, June 10, 2019 (BSS) – With multi-dimensional assistance of the government, farmers have produced an all-time record 21.66-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice (32.50 tonnes paddy) this season in Rangpur agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said farmers have exceeded the fixed production target of producing 20.88-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice (31.32-lakh tonnes paddy) by 3.73 percent or 78,800 tonnes of rice this time.
The farmers achieved the super bumper Boro rice output following various effective steps by the government including distribution of special government incentives among small and marginal farmers of the region.
The other steps included inspiring farmers in enhancing cultivation of hybrid varieties of Boro rice, use of latest technologies, proper fertilisation, agronomical managements, smooth supply of fertilisers and electricity for irrigation.
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its regional office Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam today told the national news agency that a target of producing over 20.88-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice from 4.97-lakh hectares of land was fixed for the region this season.
“However, farmers had cultivated Boro rice on over 5.09-lakh hectares of land exceeding the fixed farming target by 12,319 hectares or 2.48 percent and the crop grew superbly amid favourable climatic condition,” he said.
Last year, farmers produced 20.90-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice from 5.19-lakh hectares of land, less by over 76,000 tonnes of the produced 21.66-lakh tonnes of rice this year in the region, Islam added.
Regional Additional Director of the DAE Muhammad Ali said the government distributed three tonnes of Boro rice seed, three tonnes of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and 1.50 tonnes Muriate of Potash (MoP) fertilisers among 1,500 small and marginal farmers in the region this season.
“Each of the beneficiary farmers got 20-kg high quality seed of Boro rice, 20-kg DAP and 10-kg MoP fertilisers free of costs as special agriculture incentives to cultivate Boro rice on one bigha of land,” he said.
In addition, special steps were taken to ensure smooth irrigation to Boro rice fields by putting 2.37-lakh irrigation pumps like 2,810 deep tube-wells, 2.33-lakh shallow tube-wells, 570 low-lift pumps and 512 other pumps into operation.
Agriculturist Dr. Md. Abdul Mazid, who got Independence Award 2018 Medal (food security) last year, said timely transplantation of seedling on major land area by February 15 mainly largely contributed to bumper Boro rice yield this season.
“Expanded adoption of latest agriculture technologies and favourable climatic conditions amid frequent rainfalls also contributed to bumper rice yield,” Dr Mazid added.
Ariful Haque one of the leading farmer of village Najirdigar in Rangpur said he already completed harvesting his Boro rice and got a super bumper production of the crop on his 5.50 acres of land spending Taka 47,000 per acre of land this season.
“I have got a super bumper harvest of 88 mounds of Boro crop in terms of paddy per acre of land,” Haque said and hoped to sell the produce to the government purchasing centres to get full profits.
Farmer Manik Mina of Darshona village here said he also got bumper production of Boro crop cultivated on his 3.50 acres of land this time.
Rangpur Regional Controller of Food Mohammad Raihanul Kabir today said the procurement of Boro rice and paddy has got momentum putting positive impacts on market price of paddy in Rangpur division.
“We have already procured 2,300 tonnes of Boro paddy directly from farmers and 50,000 tonnes of Boro rice from millers till Sunday,” he said adding that the procurement drive began from April 25 last and would continue till July 31 next.
The government has fixed a record target of procuring 2.24-lakh tonnes of boiled Boro rice, 14,641 tonnes of ‘Atap’ rice and 23,434 tonnes of Boro paddy in Rangpur division this time aiming at ensuring fair price to farmers.
“We are procuring boiled Boro rice at Taka 36 per kg and ‘Atap’ Boro rice at Taka 35 per kg from millers while Boro paddy directly from farmers at Taka 26 per kg (Taka 1,040 per mound),” Kabir added.