RANGPUR, Aug 31, 2018 (BSS) – The farmers have achieved a bumper output of
maize exceeding the fixed production target by 20 percent during this Kharip-
1 season in all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said the
farmers already completed harvest of maize and produced over 1.48-lakh tonnes
of the cereal crop against the fixed production target of over 1.23-lakh
tonnes in the region.
“The achieved maize output is higher by 24,771 tonnes or 20 percent than
the fixed production target of 1.23-lakh tonnes this season,” said
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its regional office here Khondker Md
Mesbahul Islam.
The DAE had fixed a target of producing 1.23-lakh tonnes of maize from
20,289 hectares of land while the farmers finally cultivated the crop on 19,
019 hectares, less by 1,270 hectares of land than the fixed farming target
for the region.
“Despite a little shortfall in achieving the fixed farming target, the
farmers exceeded the production target as a result of cultivation of high
yielding varieties of the crop on more lands amid favourable climatic
condition this season,” he said.
The farmers have achieved an average yield rate of 7.81 tonnes of maize per
hectare against the fixed yield rate of 6.10 tonnes per hectare resulting to
the bumper output of maize in region, Islam added.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md Moniruzzaman said
maize cultivation is increasing as the farmers are showing keen interest in
expanding its farming after getting repeated bumper productions with
excellent price in recent years.
“Side by side with meeting huge demand of maize in the country’s livestock
sector, its expanded cultivation is contributing to poverty reduction and
helping the farmers in improving their livelihoods and achieving self-
reliance,” he said.
Along with the farmers in the main land, the char people are expanding
cultivation of maize as a cash crop on the char lands to earn huge profits
improving their livelihoods to lead better life and change fortune.
Farmers Abdul Khaleque, Mazharul Islam and Kafil Uddin of different
villages under Sadar upazila here said they were selling newly harvested
maize at better rates between Taka 660 and 700 per mound (every 40 kilogram).
Noted agriculturist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got the Independence Award 2018
Medal (food security) this year, said there are immense potentialities to
further increase maize production through bringing the huge abandoned char
lands of the northern region.
“Maize farming has been proved to be more profitable than many other crops
and the enthusiastic farmers are increasing its cultivation using the latest
conservation agriculture technologies to get better output at reduced costs,”
he said.
He also appreciated various initiatives taken by the present government
initiatives to further boost production of the low-irrigation water consuming
cereal crops like maize to ensure food security and improve environment under
changed climate.