Farmers of Chatmohar Upazila of Pabna have started harvesting Ropa and Bona Aus Paddy. Due to good yield and high price of paddy in the market, local farmers of Ropa and Bona Aush are smiling now.
According to the Chatmohar Agriculture Office, Aus paddy has been planted on 2,240 hectares of land in Chatmohar this season. Of this, Ropa Aus has been cultivated on 1,780 hectares of land and the remaining 460 hectares of land has been planted with Ropa Aus.
Aus paddy was cultivated on 1,750 hectares of land last year. Compared to last year, the cultivation of Ropa and Bona Aus has increased in 490 hectares of land this year.
In Dibigram, Haripur, Mathurapur and Chaikola Unions of Chatmohar, more varieties of BRRI Dhan 48, BRRI Dhan 55 and BRRI Dhan 26 varieties of Ropa and Bona Aus paddy are cultivated.
Farmer Hasar Pramanik of Katakhali village under Dibigram union has cultivated BRRI Dhan 48 variety of Ropa Aush on 33 acres of land under Katakhali Exhibition Block. Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) office in Chatmohar of Pabna is implementing this exhibition.
The paddy of his land has already ripened. He hopes to get a yield at the rate of 14 to 15 mounds. It has cost him Tk three and a half thousand. He hopes to get a profit of around Tk 10,000 per Bigha.
Many farmers who have already harvested their Aus paddy said that the yield was 14 to 15 mounds per Bigha and they have earned profit of Tk 9 to 10 thousand per bigha.
Chatmohar Upazila Agriculture Officer AA Masum Billah said. “Government was encouraging farmers to cultivate improved varieties of Aus paddy. To this end, we have distributed free seeds and fertilizers as incentives to 500 farmers of Chatmohar”.
“In the meantime, paddy harvesting has started. Yield is about 15 to 17 mounds per Bigha. The cost of Aus cultivation is less as it depends on rainfall to a great extent. In addition, the pressure on groundwater is also decreasing for Aus cultivation. So, local farmers are able to benefit from it”, he added.