Farmers of Ishwardi upazila in Pabna are now busy in transplanting Aman seedlings on land. Local farmlands are bustling with farmer’s activity from dawn till dusk.
According to sources, this time the target for Aman paddy production in Ishwardi upazila has been set at 13,817 metric tonnes.
The agricultural workers here say that the farmers of this upazila are experienced in producing Aman and boro paddy. For this reason they cultivate paddy in the same land 3 times a year. Besides, Robi crops are also cultivated.
This time it has been raining almost every day in Ishwardi during the monsoon season. Due to the availability of water in the field, the farmers started planting Aman paddy saplings from the beginning of Bengali month Shrabon. Farmers will be busy planting saplings till the end of Shrabon i.e. mid-August.
Earlier, the Upazila Agriculture Department helped in making seedbed for Aman paddy.
Besides, the agriculture officials of the Department of Agriculture assisted the farmers in preparing the land for planting Aman paddy.
According to the Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Officer's Office, farmers have started planting new varieties of Aman paddy ‘BRRI-Dhan 47’ in a total of 4,265 hectares of land in seven unions and municipal areas of the upazila in the current Aman season. This activity will continue till mid-August and the paddy will start ripening in mid-November. Visiting Ista village in the municipal area of the upazila shows that the farmers are busy planting Aman paddy saplings this season with golden hopes.
Anisur Rahman, a farmer from Ista village, said the yield of Aman paddy will double this time as the yield was also good last season.
He added, this time the weather is completely favorable for the cultivation of Aman paddy. It rained on time and there is enough water in the field. This time even there is not much need to irrigate the field.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Agriculturist Abdul Latif said the farmers of Ishwardi are very experienced in paddy production. They have started planting Aman paddy saplings in the land prepared in time.
Out of 4,265 hectares of cultivable land, seedlings have been planted on 561 hectares of land so far. Planting of Aman seedlings in the remaining land will be completed by the middle of August, he added.
Abdul Latif said, the cost of cultivating Aman paddy is lower but, the yield is higher. For this reason, the farmers here are more interested in cultivating Aman paddy. Besides, as the fertile power of the land is high, like last time, they started the field level activities with the aim of bumper yield. Earlier, farmers were provided free seeds, fertilizers and pesticides too.
According to the Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Office, a target had been set to prepare seedbeds on 180 hectares of land in Ishwardi during this year's transplanting season. The seedbed has already been prepared.
In the last Aman season, Ishwardi upazila had seen good yield. Similarly, the farmers have also got a fair price for paddy. The farmers are very happy. Therefore, the farmers have started cultivating Aman paddy with great hopes.
After Eid, planting of rice saplings has already started in almost all areas of the upazila. This time there is no need to irrigate the arable land with the opportunity of good rains. Taking advantage of this opportunity, farmers are quickly planting Aman seedlings.
Meanwhile, 15 farmers are being provided fertilizer, seeds and pesticides in 5 acres of land in each union of the upazila under the project of preservation and distribution of improved paddy, wheat and jute variety seeds at the farmer level through modern technology.