Photo : BSS

By Md Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, Dec 4, 2025 (BSS) - Around 52,386 tonnes of lentils are expected to be produced from 30,311 hectares of land in Rajshahi division during the current Rabi season.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the production target for the Rajshahi Agricultural Zone has been set at 30,671 tonnes from 18,536 hectares of land in its four districts, while another 21,715 tonnes are expected from 13,775 hectares in four districts under the Bogura zone.

DAE Additional Director Dr Azizur Rahman said all necessary measures have been taken to achieve the target, including supplying newly developed high-yielding varieties to farmers. 

He said efforts are underway to boost lentil cultivation by motivating grassroots farmers and expanding the use of modern varieties such as BARI Masur-1 to BARI Masur-9.

He added special emphasis is being given to promoting the high-yielding, zinc and iron-enriched variety BARI Masur-8 across the region, including the Barind tract, to meet rising demand for pulses. The variety, developed by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), contains 27.8 percent protein.

Zinc is an essential micronutrient needed to maintain physical health, Dr Rahman said, noting that the body has no natural storage system for it. Zinc deficiency in mothers disrupts fetal development and may lead to complications at birth. In children, the deficiency can hinder physical and intellectual growth.

He said government and non-government organisations are encouraging farmers to cultivate water-saving crops such as lentils in the Barind area to reduce pressure on declining groundwater resources. 

Farmers in high Barind areas face high irrigation costs for paddy, whereas lentil cultivation requires very little irrigation, making it an attractive alternative.

Dr Rahman said lentil cultivation also enriches soil fertility, as farmers do not need to apply chemical nitrogen fertiliser and the crop leaves behind nitrogen for the next season.

Farmer Amzad Hossain of Pirijpur village in Godagari upazila said he cultivated lentils on two bighas this year without spending extra on irrigation. He said farmers can get four to five maunds of lentils per bigha, with each maund selling for Tk 3,800 to Tk 4,000 in local markets.

Abul Kalam Azad, a farmer from Polashbari village in the same upazila, said he cultivated lentils on six bighas for the same reason. He said growers can earn good returns, with five to six maunds produced per bigha and each maund selling for Tk 4,000 to Tk 4,300.

Zakir Hossain of Hatibandha village said farmers have been showing increasing interest in lentil cultivation as it requires minimal irrigation and has yielded good harvests in recent years.

Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Atanu Sarker said farmers have been achieving better yields due to the promotion of high-yielding varieties and improved field management.

BARI Principal Scientific Officer Dr Shakhawat Hossain said lentil production could increase significantly if the crop is cultivated on around 80,000 hectares of land in the Barind region, which typically remains fallow for more than three months after the Aman harvest.

He said lentils, rich in protein, help build and maintain muscles, bones, skin, and support brain function, besides improving cholesterol, regulating blood sugar levels, and aiding digestion.

Bangladesh still imports large quantities of lentils to meet domestic demand. Since there is ample opportunity to expand cultivation at lower production costs, experts say increased lentil output would help reduce dependence on imports.