RANGPUR, Jan 10, 2022 (BSS) - Farmers are becoming busy in Boro rice

cultivation as they have already started transplantation of prepared
seedlings in Rangpur agriculture region during this Rabi season.

     Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers
have already transplanted Boro rice seedlings on over 3,000 hectares of land
as the process will get momentum soon in the region.

     "The government has fixed a target of producing 22,07,132 tonnes of
clean Boro rice (33,10,698 tonnes of paddy) from 5,03,550 hectares of land
for the region," Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region
Agriculturist Md. Mahbubur Rahman said.

     Farmers will produce 10,36,252 tonnes of hybrid variety Boro rice from
2,11,700 hectares of land, 11,67,680 tonnes of high yielding variety rice
from 2,90,090 hectares and 3,200 tonnes of local variety Boro rice from 1,760
hectares of land this season in the region.

     The government through the DAE and other agriculture-related
organizations and institutions is extending necessary assistance and latest
technologies to farmers to make the intensive Boro rice farming program a
success.

     Meanwhile, farmers have already prepared Boro rice seedbeds on 26,788
hectares of land exceeding the fixed target of preparing the same on 23,090
hectares of land by 3,698 hectares or 16.02 percent across the region till
Sunday.

     The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Power
Development Board, Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited and Rural
Electrification Board are ensuring smooth supply of quality seeds,
fertilizers and electricity to farmers.

     "Ample steps have been taken to motivate farmers in adopting
conservation agriculture technologies like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD)
irrigation method in farming Boro rice to save water and increase rice output
at reduced costs," Rahman said.

     He suggested farmers to irrigate Boro rice seedbeds at nights and
discharge the water in the mornings and keep their seedbeds under cover of
polythene sheets to save the tender seedlings from damage if the sweeping
cold wave situation deteriorates.

     "After preparing seedbeds, some farmers have already started
transplanting Boro rice seedlings and most of them are preparing their crop
lands to transplant Boro rice seedlings" he added.

    Talking to BSS, farmer Manik Mian of village Darshona in Rangpur Sadar
said he has completed preparing Boro rice seedbeds and already begun
transplantation of seedlings on his five acres of land to complete the
process by the first week February next.

     "As per suggestion of the DAE officials, I am now taking special care of
growing tender plants of Boro rice seedlings so that those were not affected
by the mild cold wave currently sweeping over Rangpur region," Manik said.

     Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh
Mamunur Rashid said transplantation of Boro rice seedlings is nearing
completion in low-lying and char areas where farmers will complete harvest
before the next rainy season.

     "Farmers are expected to bring more land under Boro rice cultivation
following substantial assistance being extended to them by the government to
further increase rice production in the region this season," he said.

     Agriculturist Dr. Md. Abdul Mazid, who got the Independent Medal 2018
(food security), suggested farmers complete transplantation of Boro rice
seedlings by mid-February next for getting maximum yield of the major cereal
crop.