RANGPUR, July 21, 2022 (BSS) - An excellent production of maize is likely as
its harvest is nearing completion with a pleasant yield rate during the
current Kharif-1 season in the Rangpur agriculture region.
   
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and market
sources said farmers are happy getting excellent prices between Taka 1,050
and Taka 1,150 per mound (every 40 kgs) of their newly harvested maize.
 
Earlier, the DAE had fixed a target of producing 2,21,708 tonnes of maize
from 24,600 hectares of land for Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and
Lalmonirhat districts during this Kharif-1 season in the region.
 
"Farmers finally cultivated maize on 20,879 hectares of land, less by 3,721
hectares of land against the fixed farming target during this Kharif-1
season," Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Md. Emdad Hossain
Sheikh told BSS today.
 
Tender maize plants grew superbly amid favourable climatic conditions
predicting a better production of the less irrigation water consuming cereal
crop during this Kharif-1 season across the region.
 
Till Wednesday, farmers have harvested maize on 19,617 hectares of land,
93.96 per cent against the cultivated land area, and produced 1,81,202 tonnes
of the crop at an average yield rate of 9.24 tonnes per hectare of land.

To further enhance maize cultivation during this Kharif-1 season, the
government provided special incentives, high-yielding varieties of seeds and
fertilizers to landless, small, marginal and flood-hit farmers of the region.
 
"We are expecting an excellent production of maize despite a little shortfall
in achieving the farming target following crop diversification during this
Kharif-1 season in the region," Hossain said.
 
Talking to BSS, Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Md. Obaidur Rahman
Mandal said maize cultivation has become popular among farmers of the
mainland and riverine char areas during the last 13 years.
 
Maize farming is more profitable than many other crops and helps farmers,
small and marginal farmers, landless char and riverside people in cutting
poverty to improve their livelihoods and living standard.
 
Tens of hundreds of char and riverside people have cultivated maize on vast
tracts of char lands in the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Jamuna, Kartoa,
Ghagot, Jamuneswari and other riverine areas in the region.
 
"Getting incentives and necessary assistance from the DAE and few NGOs,
farmers have been showing more interest in maize cultivation using the latest
agricultural technologies to get better output and lucrative market prices
every year," Mandal said.
 
Talking to BSS, farmers Tofazzal Hossain, Ahsan Habib, Zulfiquer Ali, Golam
Mohammad and Anwar Hossain of different villages in Rangpur said they have
got excellent maize output with an excellent yield rate during this Kharif-1
season.
 
They expressed happiness over the present market price of maize which has
huge demand in the boosting animal husbandry, poultry and pisciculture and
food industries sectors.