RANGPUR, Feb 13, 2020 (BSS) – Transplantation of Boro rice seedlings
continues in full swing aiming at achieving the fixed farming target of the
crop in all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region this season.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said farmers
have already transplanted Boro rice seedling on 2.16-lakh hectares of land
which was 43 percent of the targeted 5.03-lakh hectares of land, in the
region by Wednesday.
“With significant improvement in cold wave situation, transplantation of
Boro rice seedlings has got full momentum and continues smoothly,” said
Agriculturist Md Moniruzzaman, deputy director of the DAE at its regional
office.
The tender Boro rice seedlings are growing superbly now amid excellent and
sunny climatic conditions in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha,
Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat of the region.
“The farmers have prepared Boro rice seedbeds on 27,603 hectares of land
exceeding the fixed target on 23,201 hectares of land in the region,” he
said, adding that there will be Boro rice seedling surplus this time.
The DAE has fixed a target of producing over 21.76-lakh tonnes of clean
Boro rice (32.64-lakh tonnes of paddy) from 5.03-lakh hectares of land of all
five districts under the region this season.
The DAE with agriculture-related departments and other organisations have
taken steps to ensure smooth irrigation, supply of fuels, fertilisers and
electricity and other facilities to the farmers to make the intensive Boro
rice farming programme successful.
Meanwhile, transplantation of Boro rice seedlings has already completed on
the low-lying lands, beels, haors, flood-prone and riverine areas where
farmers will complete its harvest before commencement of the next rainy
season.
“The farmers have already put 2.16- lakh irrigation pumps, including power
and diesel driven 2,215 deep tube wells, 1.92-lakh shallow tube wells, 261
low lift pumps and 2,455 other pumps into operation for irrigating the Boro
rice fields in the region,” he said.
The DAE has fixed a target of bringing 43,254 hectares of land under Boro
rice farming adopting the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation
technology to enhance Boro rice yield at lower costs and reducing lifting of
underground water this time.
Talking to BSS, a number of farmers said they would achieve the fixed
target of Boro rice cultivation in the region.
Farmer Ariful Haque of Najirdigar village in Rangpur said he has already
completed transplantation of Boro rice seedlings on three acres of land, out
of his targeted five acres of land, by Wednesday.
Similarly, farmers Ramjan Mian, Jahurul Haque, Ariful Haque, Nuru Mandal
and Dabir Uddin of different villages in Rangpur said they are continuing
transplantation of Boro rice seedling on their crop lands.
Farmers Abdus Salam of Sarkerpara village in Sadar upazila of Nilphamari
and Yunus Ali of Machabandha village in Chilmari upazila of Kurigram said
they have completed transplantation of Boro rice seedlings.
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad
Ali said transplantation of Boro rice seedlings continues in full swing in
the region and the process is expected to complete by mid-March to achieve
the fixed farming target of the crop.