RANGPUR, Nov 06, 2017 (BSS) – Agriculturists at a crop cutting ceremony called upon the farmers for expanding cultivation of zinc-enriched rice to meet nutritional demand of people in building a healthier nation.
They said regular consumption of zinc-enriched rice increases disease resistant capacity of the people of all ages to ensure healthy and happy life.
The observation came at the event organised by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in association with HarvestPlus Bangladesh and RDRS Bangladesh on the occasion of harvesting zinc-enriched BRRI dhan72 rice on Sunday.
Bochaganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Basudeb Roy attended the ceremony held in village Senuhari under Bochaganj upazila of Dinajpur as the chief guest, a press release said today.
Agricultural Research and Development Officer of HarvestPlus Bangladesh Agriculturist Ruhul Amin Mandal, Programme Manager (Filed Coordination) of RDRS Bangladesh for Dinajpur Tapan Kumar Saha and Agriculture Officer Rabiul Alam also spoke.
“Consumption of zinc-enriched rice prevents deficiency of zinc, iron and vitamin-A,” said Roy.
He added each kilogram of zinc-enriched BRRI dhan72 rice contains 22.8 milligrams of zinc and it can meet micro-nutritional demands of the children, pregnant women and people of all ages.
Agriculture Officer Alam said 1,050 farmers have cultivated zinc-enriched BRRI dhan72 rice and BRRI dhan62 rice in four upazilas of Dinajpur this Aman season with assistance of the DAE and HarvestPlus Bangladesh Programme.
Ruhul Amin said cultivation of BRRI dhan72 rice requires less urea fertiliser with less pests’ attacks than other rice varieties, its rice is course, white in colour and long in length having huge demand in local markets.
Later, farmer Md Anarul of the village harvested BRRI dhan72 rice on his crop field and got yield rate of 5.76 tonnes of paddy per hectare, the release added.