Govt working for development of agriculture, farmers: DG BRRI

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RANGPUR, Aug 04, 2018 (BSS) – Director General of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) Md. Shahjahan Kabir has said the present farmer-friendly government is working relentlessly for development of agriculture and farmers.

“The scientists of BRRI are always with farmers for making commercial-basis farm activities, especially rice cultivation, more profitable by resolving any problem being faced by them,” he said

Kabir said this while addressing the “Harvesting of Aus rice, farmers’ field day and training on modern technologies of rice cultivation” programme held at village Balata under Sadar upazila in Gaibandha today as chief guest, said a press release

Principal Scientific Officer and Chief of Rangpur Regional Station of BRRI Agriculturist Dr Md Abu Bakar Siddique Sarker presided over the event jointly organised by Rangpur Regional Station of BRRI and Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

More than 200 male and female farmers, scientists of BRRI and officials of Gaibandha district and Sadar upazila offices of DAE, public representatives and elite were present.

Shahjahan Kabir suggested farmers to contact scientists of BRRIs for all information related to cultivation and production of rice, new seed, latest technologies, agronomical management methods and technical assistance.

On the occasion, the farmers harvested their cultivated BRRI-evolved BR 26, BRRI dhan48 and BRRI dhan65 varieties of Aus rice on their exhibition plots and got yield rates of 17, 15 and 14 mounds of Aus crop in terms of paddy respectively.

While expressing his experience about cultivation Aus rice, farmer Aynal Haque said that farming of the BRRI-evolved BR26, BRRI dhan48 and BRRI dhan65 Aus rice varieties needed less time, fertiliser and irrigation water.

“The farming cost of these rice varieties is low and profit is more. Rice of BRRI dhan48 is tasty and fine in quality. Moreover, attack of blast and BLB diseases was very low,” he said hoping that he would cultivate the rice varieties on more land next time.

Agriculturist Sarker, in his concluding remarks, highlighted different aspects of agronomical managements of cultivation to get more yield from these varieties of Aus rice.

He said, “Planting of seedlings aged between 20 and 25 days should be done maintaining recommended distance between second week of April and second week of May.”

During transplantation of seedling, 200 grams of urea, TSP 210 grams, potash 300 grams, gypsum 180 grams and 25 grams of zinc fertilisers should be mixed in every one decimal of land.

“After 20 and 40 days since transplantation, 200 grams of urea fertiliser should be applied twice. The farmland should be kept completely weed-free clean from 30 to 35 days since transplantation,” he added.