The Farmers are expecting a bumper production of Boro rice as its plants are growing superbly amid favorable climatic conditions this season in northern parts of the country, specially the Rangpur agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said, the farmers have already completed transplantation of Boro rice seedlings in all five districts of the region.
“Farmers are busy in taking care of the excellently growing tender Boro rice plants and we are expecting a bumper production of the crop in the region,” Additional Director of the DAE’s Rangpur region Agriculturist Aftab Hossain said.
The government through the DAE has fixed a target of producing 22,30,219 tonnes of clean Boro rice (33,45,329 tonnes of paddy) from 5,07,050 hectares of land for all five districts in the region this season.
Meanwhile, enthusiastic farmers have finally transplanted Boro rice seedlings on over 5,06,525 hectares of land or 99.90 percent against the fixed farming target in the region.
The DAE with other related organizations, Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited and Rural Electrification Board (REB) are ensuring smooth supply of fertilizers and electricity to the farmers to ensure smooth Boro rice cultivation.
Being inspired by the DAE, farmers are adopting conservation agriculture (CA)-based technologies, including Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation methods, while farming Boro rice to save irrigation of water and increase of rice output at reduced costs.
Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Agriculturist Md Obaidur Rahman Mandal said tender plants of Boro rice seedlings are growing fabulously in the mainland and low-lying and char and river areas.
Farmers have brought more low-lying char lands, Beels and river areas under Boro rice farming this time to complete its harvest before the commencement of the next rainy season.
“Vast tracts of Boro crop fields have worn an eye-catching greenish look now,” he said, adding that a bumper Boro rice output is likely if the climatic conditions remain favorable onwards.
Farmer Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar in Rangpur Sadar said tender plants of Boro rice on his seven acres of land are growing excellently predicting a bumper Boro rice output this season.
Similarly, farmers Eshaq Ali, Nur Mohammad, Mostafizur Rahman, Sohel Rana and Amenur Rahman of different villages in Rangpur Sadar upazila said they are expecting a bumper production of Boro rice this year.
Agriculturist Dr Abdul Mazid, who got the Independent Medal 2018 (food security), lauded the government for extending necessary assistance to the farmers for making the Boro rice farming program a success in the region.
“Farmers should adopt the CA-based technologies like AWD irrigation method and use of balanced and organic fertilisers to get maximum Boro rice yield at reduced costs also saving underground water,”