by Mamun Islam,

RANGPUR, Nov 12 (BSS) - Farmers have already started harvesting Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) paddy with excellent yield rates everywhere in the northern districts under Rangpur Agriculture Zone (RAZ).

Farmers and officials in the Department of Agriculture
Extension (DAE) while talking to BSS today expressed their
satisfaction expecting a bumper production of the major T-Aman
crop despite some initial problems they faced in farming of the
crop.

"Harvesting of the crop will get full momentum from November
20 everywhere in the zone and we are expecting to achieve the
fixed production target of T-Aman rice during this season,"
Additional Director of the DAE to the RAZ Shakhawat Hossain today
said.

The DAE officials said that the farmers successfully fought
the prolonged droughts with the assistances of the government and
finally exceeded the Aman farming target by 2.46 percent this
season in the zone and a bumper production is now expected.

Harvesting will continue for a little longer time this season
following late completion of transplantations of the seedlings
due to droughts and also late plantation in the flood- ravaged
fields, they said.

The farmers have brought 10,70,675 hectares of land under T-
Aman farming against the target for producing 27,57,344 tonnes of
rice from 10,44,755 hectares land with 2.64 tonnes average rice
yield per hectare.

The farmers have brought 25,920 hectares more land than the
target in the zone this season where the harvesting of the short
duration Aman paddies with bumper yields have already been
completed, they said.

"We got 3 tonnes rice per hectare after harvesting of the
short duration anti-monga BRRI Dhan 33 and BINA Dhan 7 variety
paddies and are getting average yields of 2.6 to 2.7 tonnes rice
per hectare of the T-Aman so far," AD Shakhawat Hossain added.

Deputy Director (DD) of DAE, Gaibandha Kamal Shariful Alam,
DD of Kurigram Mohsin Ali, DD of Nilphamari Yunus Ali and DD of
Rangpur Hazrat Ali said that the overall T-Aman production will
be excellent this season in the areas.

"There are reports of almost no pests' attacks and the
farmers have been continuing harvest of T-Aman crop with huge
enthusiasm and festivity in the region where the traditional
Nabanno continues at the farmers' houses," they added.

The farmers were initially disheartened for prolonged
droughts as plantation of Aman seedlings was seriously hampered
at the beginning of this season, but the government initiatives
and late rainfalls helped the farmers to complete the seedling
plantation.

The government immediately assisted the farmers in seedling
plantations amid droughts by providing supplementary irrigation
by commissioning the deep Tube Wells (DTWs) of the Barind
Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA).

Besides, to cope with the recent droughts, the government
also provided supplementary irrigations to vast tract of the T-
Aman fields in the command area of the Teesta Barrage Project in
greater Rangpur and Dinajpur districts bringing relief to the
farmers.

"We made 9,470 DTWs ready and the government allocated Taka
8.04 crore to provide free supplementary irrigation for 1,50,000
hectares of drought-hit cropland during the recent droughts,
Superintending Engineer of the BMDA Monwar Hossain told BSS.

A total of 59,000 shallow tube wells, 1,662 DTWs, 65 low lift
pumps and nearly 4,000 other irrigation devices were also put
into operation during the recent droughts that made the T- Aman
farming successful in the region, officials said.

"The adequate late rainfalls acted as tonics that also saved
the Aman crop from pests' attacks and diseases paving the way in
getting a bumper production of the major crop this season," DAE's
Deputy Director (DD) Ataul Haque to the Rangpur Zone told BSS.

The DAE officials and farmers today told the national news
agency the overall T-Aman production will be excellent this
season if the climatic conditions remain favourable with no
pests' attacks onwards till completion of the harvests.

The production target will not be affected though the recent
floods damaged growing T-Aman crops on 30,324 hectares of land
and vegetables on 901 hectares causing a loss of Taka 136.76
crore this season in the zone, officials said.

While talking to BSS, farmers Samir Kumar, Saiful and
Mahmudul Islam of Dinajpur, Kalam, Shariful and Abul Hossain of
Naogaon, Sukur Ali and Hafizur of Thakurgaon, and Solaiman Ali
and Faruque of Rangpur expected a bumper Aman production.