32.25-lakh tonnes Boro rice production target in Rangpur division

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RANGPUR, Nov 30, 2017 (BSS) – The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has fixed a production target of over 32.25-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice from 7.81-lakh hectares for Rangpur division during the current Rabi season.

Talking to BSS here today, Horticulture Specialist of the DAE regional office Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said the farmers are now preparing Boro seedbed to start transplantation of the major cereal crop from third week of the next month.

However, transplantation of Boro seedling will begin in the low-lying lands, beels, haors, flood-prone and riverine areas from first week of December to complete harvest of the crop before beginning of the next rainy season.

He said 21.45-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice will be produced from 5.14-lakh hectares of land in five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat under Rangpur agriculture region in the division under the programme,.

Besides, over 10.79-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice will be produced from 2.67-lakh hectares of land in three districts of Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh under Dinajpur agriculture region in the division this season.

“The farmers will produce 9.10-lakh tonnes of hybrid variety Boro rice from 1.91-lakh hectares of land, 23.11-lakh tonnes of high yielding variety rice from 5.88-lakh hectares and 3,599 tonnes of local variety Boro rice from 1,851 hectares of land in the division,” Mesbahul Islam added.

Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office here Md Moniruzzaman said the government has taken ample steps to ensure smooth supply of fertilisers, electricity and delivering technologies for making the Boro farming programme successful.

“The farmers will largely adopt the conservation agriculture technologies like Alternate Drying and Wetting (AWD) irrigation method this time in Boro rice cultivation to reduce lifting of ground water, save electricity and improve environment,” he said.

Rangpur Regional Additional Director of the DAE Md Shah Alam said efforts are on to popularise conservation agriculture technologies among the farmers this time in farming Boro rice to increase rice production saving farming costs and resources.

“The field level officials and experts of the DAE and other agriculture-related organisations and institutions are extending necessary assistance to the farmers to make the Boro farming programme a success this season,” Alam added.