Bumper Aus rice production, price make farmers happy

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RANGPUR, Aug 01, 2018 (BSS) – The farmers are happy getting bumper Aus
rice production as well as excellent market price as harvest of the crop
continues in full swing everywhere now in Rangpur agriculture region.

Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said the farmers
already harvested the crop on 68.66 percent of totally cultivated land area
to get 3.15 tonnes of clean Aus rice per hectare against targeted yield rate
of 2.64 tonnes rice per hectare.

“The farmers completed harvest of the crop on 27,890 hectares of land in of
Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts under the
region,” said Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its regional office
Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam.

The DAE has fixed a target of bringing 26,159 heaters of land under Aus
rice cultivation to produce 68,969 tonnes of clean Aus rice for these five
districts this season.

“However, the enthusiastic farmers have cultivated Aus rice on 40,618
hectares of land exceeding the fixed farming target by 14,459 hectares or
55.27 percent this time,” Islam said.

Aus rice farming regained popularity following distribution of special
incentives, conducting motivational activities, providing training and
technical assistance to inspire the farmers in increasing cultivation of the
less irrigation water consuming crop.

Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md Moniruzzaman said the
government distributed special incentives to 8,000 farmers who got 5- kg Aus
rice seed, 20-kg urea, 10-kg DAP and 10-kg MoP and Taka 500 for irrigating
Aus rice field on one bigha of land each.

Besides, 300 beneficiary farmers got 5-kg Nerico Aus rice seed, 20-kg urea,
10-kg DAP and 10-kg MoP fertilisers, Taka 500 for irrigating Aus rice field
and Taka 500 for weed control on one bigha land each in the region.

“All these interventions of the government became effective to enhance
cultivation of less water consuming Aus rice farming on more land during the
off-season between Boro rice harvest and T-Aman seedling transplantation this
season,” Moniruzzaman added.

Farmers Echhahaq Ali, Abdul Baten and Kafil Uddin of different villages
under Sadar upazila and Nazir Uddin and Abdus Sobhan of Badarganj upazila in
Rangpur said they already completed harvest of their cultivated Aus rice.

They also expressed satisfaction over the present market price of newly
harvested Aus paddy between Taka 800 and 850 per mound (every 40 kilogram)
adding that they were transplanting seedling of Transplanted Aman rice on the
same land.

Talking to BSS, noted rice scientist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got the
Independence Award 2018 Medal (food security) this year, said cultivation of
Aus rice should be increased further to increase additional rice production
amid changing climate.

“We have to switch over to farming less irrigation water consuming crops
like Aus rice using unused seasonal rainwater during the off season as a
substitute cereal crop to costly Boro rice farming to increase rice
production for food security,” Mazid said.

BSS/SPL/MI/MR/1128 hrs