Farmers are expecting bumper production of Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) paddy in the district as the cultivation has exceeded the target during the current season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers are expecting to produce 93,170 MT of T-Aman paddy from 93,185 hectares of cultivated lands in nine upazilas.
The district is likely to see a rise in paddy production compared to the last year, said DAE officials.
“There is a possibility that this year's T- Aman harvest in Khulna will exceed the target. If the weather remains favorable we will get the expected yield,” said Khulna Deputy Director of DAE Md Hafizur Rahman.
Rupsha Upazila Agriculture Officer Fariduzzaman said, this year the cultivation target has been achieved.
He said deputy assistant agricultural officers are regularly working alongside the farmers at the field level to protect the harvest from insects and pest attack.
“Farmers are being advised to use light traps to prevent attack of Brown Plant Hopper (BPH) locally known as ‘Current Poka.' Yard meetings are also being held with farmers,” he said.
Upazila Agricultural Officers of Batiaghata, Terokhada, Dakope and Dighalia upazilas also agreed on the possibility of bumper yield in their respective upazilas. Terokhada upazila agricultural officer Shafiqul Islam said farmers have used new variety of seeds this year and no major disease broke out due to regular care.
Arindam Mallik, a farmer of Shobna village in Dumuria upazila, said that the planting of saplings was delayed this year.
“As winter is approaching, nothing much can be said at the moment until the harvesting begins. If there are no natural calamities and insect attacks, then a good yield will be achieved,” he said.