RANGPUR, July 10, 2019 (BSS) – The government has fixed a target of producing over 18.08-lakh tonnes of Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) rice (27.13 tonnes of paddy) from 6.35-lakh hectares of land for Rangpur region this season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers have started transplantation of T-Aman rice seedlings and the process will get full impetus by the end of month.
“The production target of T-Aman rice for this season is higher by 1.69-lakh tonnes than the production of 17.69-lakh tonnes of T-Aman rice achieved last year,” said Horticulture Specialist of DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam.
Last year, a target of producing 16.39-lakh tonnes of clean T-Aman rice from 5.94-lakh hectares of land was fixed for all the five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Nilphamari in the region.
“The farmers, however, cultivated T-Aman rice on 6.03-lakh hectares of land exceeding the fixed target by 9,292 hectares of land and fixed production target by 1.30-lakh tonnes last year,’ Islam said.
The DAE, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) and other organisations have taken ample steps to make the intensive T-Aman rice cultivation programme successful this time.
Meanwhile, farmers have already prepared T-Aman seedlings on 27,500 hectares of land against the requirement of preparing the same on 31,716 hectares of land for cultivation of T-Aman rice on 6.35-lakh hectares of land.
The process of preparing T-Aman seedling continues and DAE will prepare additional seedling on over 3,000 hectares of land than requirement to meet any emergency for re-transplantation if flood damages transplanted T-Aman rice plants.
“The farmers have engaged efforts to prepare their land for transplantation of T-Aman rice seedling after adequate rainfalls in recent days all over the region where a favourable weather condition is prevailing,” Islam added.
Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Muhammad Ali said farmers as well as BMDA, BADC and their irrigation pumps are ready to operate for T-Aman rice seedling transplantation in case of less rainfall or drought-like situation.
“We have directed field level agriculture officials to provide necessary assistance and latest technologies to farmers to ensure successful cultivation of T-Aman rice in the region,” Ali said.