RANGPUR, Dec 1, 2019 (BSS) – The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has fixed an all-time record target of producing 32,389 tonnes of groundnut from 14,658 hectares of land for all eights districts in Rangpur division during this Rabi season.
The DAE officials said farmers have already completed sowing of groundnut seed on 8,500 hectares of land till Saturday as the process of sowing seed continues in on full swing in all eight districts of the division.
The tender plants of groundnut are growing superbly now both on the mainland and riverine char areas in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region and three districts of Dinajpur agriculture region in Rangpur division.
During the last Rabi season, farmers cultivated groundnut on 15,540 hectares of land, exceeding the fixed farming target on 13,747 heaters by 1,793 hectares of land and produced a record quantity of 31,510 tonnes of groundnut in the division.
Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Moniruzzaman said farmers are expanding cultivation of groundnut every year after getting repeated bumper production and excellent market price of the profitable cash crop.
“Following motivational activities being conducted by the DAE and other agriculture-related organisations, farmers are increasing cultivation of high yielding groundnut varieties evolved by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI),” he said.
With increasing demand of groundnut in the food industries and export of the products abroad, farmers are showing keen interests in expanding groundnut farming on main lands and char areas reaping huge benefits in recent years.
“The DAE has fixed targets of producing 11,842 tonnes of groundnut from 5,697 hectares of land for Rangpur agriculture region and 19,668 tonnes from 9,843 hectares for Dinajpur agriculture region in the division this season,” he said.
Talking to BSS, Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said farmers can earn Taka 40,000 to 45,000 by producing 24 to 27 mounds of groundnut per acre of land spending Taka 18,000 as farming costs.
“More than 10,000 farmers have achieved self-reliance by cultivating groundnut twice during Rabi and Kharip seasons annually with the assistance of the DAE and NGOs in Rangpur division in last ten years,” Rashid said.
Like many others, farmers Abdul Haque, Lokman Hossain and Saiduzzaman, of Char Biswanath village in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur said they have changed luck by farming groundnut on char lands during the past one decade to lead solvent life.
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad Ali predicted a bumper production of groundnut this season saying that many farmers have improved livelihoods by farming groundnut twice annually in the division.