RANGPUR, Sept 28, 2023 (BSS) - Braving a drought-like situation during the 
seedling transplantation period, farmers are expecting a bumper production of 
Aman rice this season after exceeding its fixed farming target in Rangpur 
agriculture region.
 
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers will 
start harvesting short-duration varieties of Aman rice soon while tender 
plants of the crop are growing superbly following recent rainfalls after the 
drought-like situation. 
 
Farmers have engaged all-out efforts in nursing their growing Aman rice 
plants on vast tracts of crop land that have worn an eye-catching look in all 
five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in 
the region.
 
Earlier, the government had fixed a target of producing 18,68,032 tonnes of 
clean Aman rice (28,02,048 tonnes of paddy) from 6,14,400 hectares of land 
this season for all five districts of the region. 
 
Farmers have finally brought 6,16,962 hectares of land under Aman rice 
cultivation exceeding the fixed farming target by 0.42 percent overcoming the 
drought-like situation during the seedling transplantation period in the 
region. 
 
"We are expecting a bumper production of Aman rice in the region where 
farmers will begin harvesting early varieties of the crop from the next 
month," Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Aftab 
Hossain said.
 
The government through the DAE and other agriculture-related organisations 
undertook massive programs to assist farmers in facing the drought-like 
situation for attaining the fixed Aman rice farming target.
 
The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Barind 
Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) 
ensured irrigation facilities for transplantation of Aman rice seedlings amid 
less rainfall.
 
"The BADC and BMDA and farmers put irrigation pumps into operation and the 
Teesta Barrage Project supplied water through canals to assist farmers in 
transplanting Aman rice seedlings this season," Aftab Hossain added. 
 
Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Agriculturist Md. Obaidur Rahman 
Mondal said field level agriculture officials provided assistance and latest 
technologies to farmers to ensure successful cultivation of Aman rice.
 
"The government has taken special steps to ensure use of high quality seeds, 
smooth supply of fertilisers and fuels, prepare model seedbeds, balanced 
fertilization and adoption of improved technologies to increase Aman rice 
yield this time," he said.

Following huge motivational and training activities conducted by the DAE and 
other organisations, farmers have effectively adapted to adverse climatic 
conditions and drought-like situations and achieved the fixed farming target 
of Aman rice.

"A bumper production of Aman rice is likely as tender plants of the crop are 
growing excellent following recent rainfalls despite a drought-like situation 
during the seedling transplantation period in the region," Modal added.
 
A number of farmers of different villages said their tender Aman rice plants 
are growing superbly amid favourable climatic conditions now predicting a 
bumper production of the major cereal crop this season.
 
Farmers Azizul Islam and Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar and Alhaj 
Echhahaq Ali of village Kathihara in Rangpur Sadar said their growing Aman 
rice plants would not require any more supplementary irrigation following 
recent seasonal rainfalls.
 
"The superbly growing tender Aman rice plants are predicting a bumper rice 
production despite a drought-like situation during the seedling 
transplantation periods in the region this season," Echhahaq Ali added.