Photo : BSS

RANGPUR, March 18, 2026 (BSS) - The set Boro rice cultivation target has 
exceeded in the Rangpur agricultural region, where farmers are expecting a 
bumper harvest of the staple food grain in the current Rabi season.
 
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials said that amid 
favorable weather conditions and frequent rainfall in recent days, growing 
tender Boro rice plants are creating a picturesque green scene in the vast 
crop fields.
 
To make the intensive Boro paddy cultivation programme successful, farmers 
have brought more land under cultivation exceeding the fixed farming target 
for the region this season. 
 
"Currently, enthusiastic farmers are very busy in taking care of their 
excellently growing tender Boro rice plants in all five districts of the 
region," Deputy Director of the DAE's Rangpur region Krishibid Md Shirajul 
Islam told BSS. 
 
Earlier, the DAE has set an all-time record target of producing 23,08,715 
tonnes of clean Boro rice (34,63,0672 tonnes of paddy) from 5,09,094 hectares 
of land for Rangpur agricultural region this season. 
  
Of them, farmers will produce 11,13,909 tonnes of hybrid variety Boro rice 
from 2,30,316 hectares of land, 11,75,867 tonnes of high yielding variety 
rice from 2,77,753 hectares and 1,939 tonnes of local variety Boro rice from 
1,025 hectares of land. 
 
Enthusiastic farmers have already transplanted Boro rice seedlings on 
5,09,195 hectares of land or 100.02 percent against the fixed farming target 
in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and 
Nilphamari in the region.
 
The DAE and other agriculture-related organisations and institutions are 
working tirelessly to ensure smooth irrigation, uninterrupted supply of fuel, 
fertilizer, electricity and other facilities to farmers to make the Boro rice 
cultivation programme successful.
 
To conserve irrigation water and increase the production of healthier Boro 
rice at a lower cost, special programmes have been taken to reduce 
groundwater extraction, and modern technology has been promoted among the 
farmers of the region this season.
 
Under the special programmes, a target has been fixed to bring 1,01,839 
hectares of Boro rice croplands under the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) 
irrigation method. 
 
Besides, targets have been set to bring 50,920 hectares of land under use of 
compost fertilisers, 3,05,517 hectares under use of balanced fertilisers, 
5,09,195 hectares under the perching and 10,220 hectares under the light trap 
methods of pests management.
 
"Farmers have already brought 3,69,140 of land under use of compost 
fertilisers, 3,87,485 hectares under use of balanced fertilisers, 3,54,250 
under the perching and 561 hectares under the light trap methods of pests 
management," Shirajul Islam said.
 
About 9.36 percent tender Boro rice seedlings are now under recovery, 85.80 
percent in tillering and 4.84 percent in panicle initiation stage, growing 
beautifully in the crop fields, which predicts a bumper crop yield.
 
Sirajul Islam said, "If the weather is favorable in the next few months, 
farmers will get a super bumper harvest of Boro rice because tender rice 
plants are currently growing wonderfully in this region." 
 
Talking to BSS, Manik Mia of Darshona village in Rangpur Sadar said that to 
get a bumper harvest of Boro rice this season, he has adopted the latest 
technology to ensure proper agricultural management of his growing rice 
plants on about seven acres of cropland.
 
Similarly, farmer Isahaque Ali of Kathihara village in Rangpur Sadar thanked 
the government for ensuring smooth supply of fertilizers, pesticides, diesel, 
electricity and other facilities to farmers to make the Boro rice farming 
programme successful.