RANGPUR, Nov 16, 2019 (BSS) – An all-time record target of producing over
32.96-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice (49.44-lakh tonnes of paddy) has been
fixed from 7.74-lakh hectares of land in Rangpur division during this Rabi
season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said adequate
steps are being taken to make the intensive Boro rice farming program a
success.
Last season, the DAE had fixed a production target of 31.90-lakh tonnes of
clean Boro rice from 7.70-lakh hectares of land when farmers exceeded the
target and achieved a super bumper production of the crop.
Currently, farmers are busy with harvesting Aman rice and sowing seed of
Rabi crops like potato, maize, mustard and winter vegetables on their lands.
They will start preparing Boro seedbed from at the end of this month. Deputy
Director of the DAE at its regional office here Agriculturist Md.
Moniruzzaman said transplantation of Boro rice seedling will begin on low-
lying and char areas from late-December to complete harvest before the rainy
season.
“However, transplantation process of Boro rice seedling will begin on the
mainland from mid-January and continue till February next in all eight
districts of Rangpur and Dinajpur agriculture regions in Rangpur division,”
he said.
Under the program, the DAE has fixed a target of producing over 21.76-lakh
tonnes of clean Boro rice from 5.03-lakh hectares of land in five districts
of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat of Rangpur
agriculture region.
Besides, over 11.19-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice will be produced from
over 2.17-lakh hectares of land in three districts of Dinajpur, Thakurgaon
and Panchagarh of Dinajpur agriculture region this season.
“The farmers will produce 11.28-lakh tonnes of hybrid variety Boro rice
from 2.39-lakh hectares of land, 21.64-lakh tonnes of high yielding variety
rice from 5.33-lakh hectares and 3,408 tonnes of local variety Boro rice from
1,800 hectares of land,” he said.
The DAE and other organisations concerned are taking necessary steps to
ensure smooth supply of seed, fertilisers and uninterrupted electricity to
make the Boro farming program successful,” Moniruzzaman added.
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad
Ali said field level officials of the DAE will lend assistance and latest
technologies to farmers for successful Boro rice cultivation.
Besides, farmers will adopt conservation agriculture-based technologies
like Alternate Drying and Wetting (AWD) irrigation method while farming Boro
rice to use less irrigation water to reduce pressure on underground water and
farming costs.
“Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Power Development Board
and Rural Electrification Board will ensure smooth supply of seed,
fertilisers and power to the farmers to ensure smooth cultivation of Boro
rice,” Ali added.
Talking to BSS, farmers Ariful Haque Batul, Aiyub Ali, Mahbubur Rahman,
Mofizar Rahman and Moazzem Hossain of different villages in Rangpur expressed
their preparedness to bring more land under Boro rice cultivation this
season.
Noted rice scientist Agriculturist Dr. Md. Abdul Mazid, who got the
Independence Award 2018 Medal (food security), last year, suggested farmers
to complete Boro rice seedling transplantation within February 15 to get the
maximum yield.
He stressed large-scale adoption of conservation agriculture-based
technologies like AWD irrigation method in farming Boro rice to increase rice
output improving the ecology and environment.