Photo: BSS

NAOGAON, Oct 24, 2025 (BSS) - Around 70,000 small and marginal farmers in Naogaon, the northern district famed for its paddy, rice, and mango production, have started receiving free seeds and fertilizers to boost Rabi crop cultivation and production this season.

The incentive is being provided from the Ministry of Agriculture's regular budget under the Agricultural Rehabilitation Assistance sector. Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) expect that this initiative will significantly increase both the cultivation area and yield of Rabi crops in the district.

According to the DAE, under the 2025-26 fiscal year's Rabi Incentive Programme, a total of 69,500 farmers from 11 upazilas of the district will receive 368.5 metric tonnes of seeds, 694 metric tonnes of DAP, and 687.5 metric tonnes of MOP fertilizer. The government has allocated Taka 598.71 lakh for this purpose.

Selected farmers cultivating one of the following crops - wheat, mustard, sunflower, groundnut, winter onion, mung bean, lentil, or arhar - on one bigha of land will receive the assistance free of cost.

Under the programme, 52,000 marginal farmers will each receive one kilogram of mustard seeds and 10 kilograms each of DAP and MOP fertilizer, while 15,400 farmers will get 20 kilograms of wheat seeds and 10 kilograms each of DAP and MOP fertilizer, 200 farmers will receive one kilogram of sunflower seeds and 10 kilograms each of DAP and MOP fertilizer, 400 farmers will get one kilogram of onion seeds and 10 kilograms each of DAP and MOP fertilizer, and 200 farmers will receive 10 kilograms of groundnut seeds, 10 kilograms of DAP, and five kilograms of MOP fertilizer each.

In addition, 300 farmers will receive five kilograms of mung bean seeds and 10 kilograms of DAP with five kilograms of MOP fertilizer each, while 800 farmers will receive five kilograms of lentil seeds and the same fertilizer package, and 200 farmers will receive two kilograms of arhar seeds along with five kilograms each of DAP and MOP fertilizer.

On October 21, the distribution of seeds and chemical fertilizers among 6,540 farmers from 10 unions of Mohadevpur upazila was inaugurated at the Upazila Parishad Complex courtyard. The event was organized by the DAE and inaugurated by Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Chairman of the Upazila Agricultural Rehabilitation Implementation Committee Arifuzzaman.

Assistant Commissioner (Land) Jannatun Naeem Ibne Aziz, Agriculture Officer Hossain Mohammad Ershad, and Agricultural Extension Officer Jahangir Alam, among others, were present on the occasion.

DAE officials said the distribution of seeds and fertilizers under the incentive scheme across the district will be completed within a very short time.

Deputy Director of the DAE in Naogaon Homayra Mondal said farmers are receiving the assistance, which is reducing their cultivation costs and encouraging higher production. "The farmers are happy with this initiative of the government," she added.