Farmers have already completed transplantation of Boro rice seedlings on 55 percent of the targeted land area in Rangpur agriculture region.
Tender plants of Boro rice are growing well as the process of transplantation of seedling continues in full swing everywhere in the region during this Rabi season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers have put maximum efforts in Boro rice cultivation braving the Covid-19 pandemic in the region.
“The government is extending assistance to farmers to make the intensive Boro rice farming program a success,” Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Md. Mahbubur Rahman said on Saturday.
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 all five districts in the region this season.
“Enthusiastic farmers, however, have already transplanted Boro rice seedlings on 2,77,217 lakh hectares of land which is 55 percent against the fixed farming target as seedling transplantation continues,” he said. With the improvement of the cold wave situation today, farmers have accelerated transplantation of Boro rice seedlings to complete the process on time in the region.
“The DAE and other related agriculture organisations, Power Development Board and Rural Electrification Board are ensuring smooth supply of fertilisers and electricity to farmers to ensure smooth Boro rice cultivation this season,” Rahman said.
Getting necessary assistance from the government, enthusiastic farmers are expected to exceed the fixed Boro rice farming target in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts of the region.
Farmers are adopting conservation agriculture (CA)-based technologies and better agronomic management while farming Boro rice to save irrigation water and increase rice output at reduced costs.