RANGPUR, Jan 1, 2023 (BSS) - Braving a drought-like situation and global crises, farmers have produced an all-time record 18,63,499 tonnes of clean Aman rice in Rangpur agriculture region this season.
 
Alongside getting a robust production of the major cereal crop, farmers are happy having fair prices of coarse varieties of Aman paddy between Taka 1,150 and Taka 1,200 per maund (every 40 kgs) in the local markets.

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials said harvest of Aman rice on the total cultivated land area of 6,15,981 hectares was completed last month.

Farmers have produced 18,63,499 tonnes of clean Aman rice (27,95,248 tonnes of paddy) exceeding the production target of 18,07,916 tonnes by 55,583 tonnes or 3.07 percent.

"Farmers have achieved the highest average yield rate of clean Aman rice grains this time in the last ten years," Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Mohammad Shah Alam told BSS.

Earlier, the DAE had fixed a target of producing 18,07,916 tonnes of clean Aman rice (27,11,874 tonnes of paddy) from 6,15,685 hectares of land in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region this season.
 
Despite a drought-like situation due to less rainfall, enthusiastic farmers had cultivated Aman rice on 6,15,994 hectares of land, exceeding the fixed farming target by 309 hectares this season.

Besides, natural calamities damaged standing Aman rice crop on 13 hectares of land while tender plants on the remaining 6,15,981 hectares of land grew superbly following supplementary irrigation and subsequent rainfalls resulting in excellent yield.
 
"Farmers have achieved a super bumper production of Aman rice despite a drought-like situation during the farming period, and global crises caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine War," Alam said.

Rainfall during super cyclone 'Sitrang' worked as a energizer for Aman rice plants helping in growing superbly along with combating pests attacks.
 
"Farmers have finally got a record average yield rate of 3.03 tonnes of clean Aman rice grains per hectare of land in the region that generally produces a huge surplus of rice every year contributing to ensuring national food security," Alam added.
Meanwhile, farmers completed harvest of short duration Aman rice on 94,000 hectares of land during the seasonal lean period of 'Aswin' and 'Kartik' months creating huge jobs for farm-labourers.
 
"After harvesting Aman rice, farmers are continuing to sow seeds of potato, winter vegetables and other Rabi crops on the same land," Alam said.

Talking to BSS, farmers Manik, Mian, Hossain Ali, Nurul Islam, Mohsin Ali, Abul Hossain and Harun Ur Rashid of different villages in Rangpur said that they have got excellent yield of Aman rice after completing harvest last month.
 
Farmer Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman of village Najirerhat in Rangpur Sadar said he got 55 and 65 maunds coarse Aman rice from per acre of land this season.

"Like other farmers of our area, I am very happy to get the current market price of coarse varieties of Aman paddy between Taka 1,150 and Taka 1,200 per maund," he added.
 
Deputy Director of the DAE's Rangpur region Md. Mahbubur Rahman said bumper production of Aman rice has inspired farmers to cultivate Boro rice on more land and further enhance rice output during this Rabi season to ensure food security despite global crises.