By Engr Mamun Islam
RANGPUR, Sept 23, 2020 (BSS) – Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) are expecting a bumper Aman rice production as farmers exceeded its fixed farming target and tender rice plants are growing superbly in Rangpur agriculture region.
The DAE officials said frequent rainfalls are working as energizers for excellent growth of the tender plants on vast tracts of crop lands giving those an eye-catching look and making farmers happy in all five districts of the region.
“Farmers have finally cultivated Aman rice on 6,06,852 hectares of land exceeding the fixed farming target by 1,712 hectares or 1.21 percent in the region this season,” Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Muhammad Ali said on Tuesday.
Earlier, the DAE had 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 all five districts in Rangpur agriculture region.
“Against a requirement of preparing Aman rice seedbeds on 30,391 hectares of land to produce seedlings for transplantation on 6,05,140 hectares, farmers prepared the same on 34,427 hectares, higher by 4,036 hectares than required,” Ali said.
However, the recent floods damaged Aman rice seedbeds on 1,266 hectares of land causing losses to seedlings worth Taka 18.76 crore affecting 41,230 farmers of the region.
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.
The government instantly undertook huge post-flood agri-rehabilitation programmes to assist flood-hit farmers who have finally exceeded the fixed farming target for Aman rice after recession of floodwaters also braving the coronavirus pandemic.
“Farmer completed re-transplantation of late varieties of Aman rice seedlings and broadcasting of seeds by September 15 last successfully recouping losses caused to the crop by recent floods in the region,” Ali added.
The government through the DAE effectively implemented the post-flood agriculture rehabilitation programmes spending Taka 1,15,35,840 and distributed specially prepared Aman rice seedlings among 15,131 flood-hit farmers of the region.
“The seedlings were prepared on 221 acres of land at community levels, on 500 floating seedbeds and seedlings on 9,568 floating trays and distributed among flood-affected farmers who have re-transplanted those on one bigha of land each,” Ali said.
Besides, late variety Aman rice seeds were distributed free of cost among many flood-hit farmers who have already broadcasted those on their affected croplands.
“Many flood-hit farmers have also cultivated late ‘Ganjia’ varieties of Aman rice using seeds from their own stocks in affected areas,” Ali added.
Talking to BSS, a number of farmers of different villages said their tender Aman rice plants were growing superbly amid favourable climatic conditions.
Farmers Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar, Manik Mian of village Darshona and Aiyub Ali of village Kathihara in Rangpur said that their growing Aman rice plants would not require supplementary irrigation following frequent seasonal rainfalls.
“The superbly growing tender Aman rice plants have created greenish blankets on vast tracts of crop fields all-around now. We are expecting a bumper rice production despite damages caused by recent floods to the crop this season,” said farmer Ariful.