T-Aman transplantation nearing completion in Rangpur

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RANGPUR, Aug 26, 2018 (BSS) – Transplantation of Transplanted Aman (T- Aman) rice seedling is nearing completion despite inadequate rainfalls almost everywhere in Rangpur region this season.

Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said the farmers have already completed transplantation of T-Aman rice seedling on over 5.79 lakh hectares of land, which is 97.46 percent of the total targeted land area for cultivation of the crop.

“We are expecting to achieve the fixed farming target of T-Aman rice as transplantation of seedling of late varieties of the crop still continues in the region,” said Additional Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md Moniruzzaman.

The DAE has fixed a target of producing over 16.39-lakh tonnes of clean T-Aman rice through bringing 5.94-lakh hectares of land under its cultivation this season in all five districts of the region.

Of them, 1.30-lakh tonnes of hybrid variety T-Aman rice will be produced from 37,662 hectares of land, 14.64-lakh tonnes high yielding variety rice from 5.26-lakh hectares and 44,576 tonnes of local variety Aman rice from 29,717 hectares of land this time.

“To make the T-Aman rice farming programme successful, the farmers have prepared its seedling on 35.069 hectares of land against the targeted land area of 29,828 hectares for cultivation of the crop on 5.94-lakh hectares of land,” Moniruzzaman said.

Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam at its regional office today said transplantation of T-Aman rice seedling got momentum since last month following rainfall at most places. “Though the transplantation process could not get momentum since beginning of the season due to lack of seasonal rainfall, the farmers mostly used lifted underground water to transplant T-Aman rice seedling on their lands this time,” he said.

Due to lack of adequate rainfalls, farmers have so far put 53,528 irrigation pumps, including 567 deep tube wells, 52,832 shallow tube wells and 129 low lift pumps into operation for cultivation of T-Aman rice in the region.

“The tender T-Aman rice plants are growing well following frequent rainfalls in recent days side by side with the use of underground water to irrigate the growing plants on the crop lands,” he said.

Besides DAE, the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, BADC, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and other organisations have taken steps to make the T-Aman rice farming programme successful in the region, Islam added.

Farmers Ariful Kabir Batul and Echhahaq Ali of Rangpur, Aminur Rahman and Aminul Islam of Kurigram, Asharf Ali and Mohammad Nader of Lalmonirhat said that they already completed transplantation of T-Aman seedling on their lands.

Talking to BSS, Regional Farm Broadcasting Officer of the Agriculture Information Service Abu Sayem predicted that the fixed T-Aman rice production target would be achieved despite inadequate seasonal rainfalls in the region.