By Engr Mamun Islam
RANGPUR, Sept 13, 2020 (BSS) – Despite damages caused by floods, farmers have exceeded the fixed farming target of Aman rice with government assistance braving the coronavirus (COVID)-19 pandemic this season in Rangpur agriculture region.
“Farmers have already brought 6,12,235 hectares of land under Aman rice farming exceeding the fixed farming target by 1.17 percent,” said Muhammad Ali, Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) for Rangpur region.
Earlier, the government undertook massive post-flood agriculture rehabilitation programmes to assist flood-affected farmers in attaining the fixed Aman rice farming target to recoup crop losses caused by the recent floods in the region this season.
The government through the DAE continues distributing specially prepared Aman rice seedlings among 15,225 flood-hit farmers free of cost for re-transplanting those on 15,225 bigha of submerged cropland with one bigha each in the region.
Earlier, the DAE has fixed a target of producing 16,97,795 tonnes of clean Aman rice (25,46,693 tonnes of paddy) from 6,05,140 hectares of land for Rangpur agriculture region this season.
“Farmers have already transplanted Aman rice seedlings by Saturday on 6,12,235 hectares of land which is higher by 7,095 hectares or 1.17 percent against the fixed farming target of the crop,” Ali said.
Earlier, farmers had prepared Aman rice seedbeds on 34,427 hectares of land, higher by 4,036 hectares or 13.28 percent than a requirement of preparing the same on 30,391 hectares to produce seedlings for transplantation on 6,05,140 hectares of land.
“However, the recent floods damaged Aman rice seedbeds on 1,196 hectares of land causing losses to seedlings worth Taka 15.95 crore and affecting 38,705 farmers in the region,” Ali said.
Besides, the floods damaged the transplanted Aman rice crop on 111 hectares of land causing production losses of 320 tonnes of rice worth Taka 1.16 crore and affecting 1,222 farmers.
As a part of the government programmes, the DAE has prepared community Aman rice seedbeds on 221 acres of land in flood-hit areas and distribution of the prepared seedlings among 14,732 flood-hit farmers of the region is nearing completion.
Besides, 500 floating Aman rice seedbeds have been prepared in flood-hit areas and the prepared seedlings are being distributed among 125 flood-affected farmers.
“In addition to this, the DAE continues distributing late variety Aman rice seedlings after preparing those on 9,568 floating trays among 368 flood-affected farmers with 26 trays to each of the farmers of the region,” Ali said.
Besides, late variety Aman rice seeds have been distributed free of cost among flood-hit farmers who have already broadcasted those on their affected croplands.
Many flood-hit farmers have cultivated late ‘Ganjia’ varieties of Aman rice using seeds from their own stocks in affected areas.
“Farmers are expected to complete re-transplantation of Aman rice seedlings on their submerged croplands by the next couple of days to further exceed the fixed farming target in the region this season,” Ali added.
He hoped with full confidence that farmers would achieve a bumper production of Aman rice despite damages caused by recent floods to the crop in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region this season.