RANGPUR, Oct 30, 2017 (BSS) – Experts of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) at a farmers’ field day programme today called for popularising cultivation of zinc-enriched rice to meet nutritional demand of common people.
“Consumption of zinc-enriched rice prevents deficiency of zinc, iron and vitamin-A and increases disease resistance capacity of people,” said Deputy Director of DAE for Nilphamari Golam Mohammad Idris at the event held in village Arazi Etakhola under Sadar upazila of Nilphamari.
Idris was addressing the event organised by DAE with assistance of RDRS Bangladesh and HarvestPlus Bangladesh for harvesting zinc-enriched BRRI dhan72 rice on the crop field of farmer Hirendra Nath Roy as the chief guest, said a press release.
He said each kilogram of BRRI dhan72 rice contains six milligram of more zinc per kilogram than other varieties of zinc-enriched rice consumption of which meets micro-nutritional demand of the children, women and common people.
With Programme Manager (Filed Coordination) of RDRS Bangladesh for
Panchagarh Hasina Pervin in the chair, Boda Upazila Agriculture Officer Agriculturist Al Mamun-Ar-Rashid addressed the function as special guest.
Additional Deputy Director (Crop) of DAE for Nilphamari Keramat Ali,
Agricultural Research and Development Officer of HarvestPlus Bangladesh Ruhul Amin Mandal and Agriculture Officer Abdul Mazed Mian, among others, spoke.
Abdul Mazed Mian said 900 farmers have cultivated zinc-enriched BRRI dhan62 and BRRI dhan72 rice in Kishoreganj, Jaldhaka and Sadar upazilas of Nilphamari during this Aman season with assistance of the HarvestPlus Bangladesh Programme.
Keramat Ali said cultivation of BRRI dhan72 rice is more profitable and requires less quantity of urea fertiliser with less pests’ attacks than other rice varieties. The rice is course, white in colour and long in length, he added.
The chief guest laid emphasis on increasing cultivation and consumption of zinc-enriched BRRI dhan72 rice to prevent deficiency of zinc, iron and vitamin-A of the people of all ages for building a healthier nation.