Maize cultivation in Babuganj upazila of Barishal has surpassed all previous records. According to the calculations of the Department of Agriculture, in this upazila more than the target of 85 hectares of land has been planted in this season. This time the target of Maize cultivation of Upazila Agriculture Office was 250 hectares of land. However, 335 hectares of land has been cultivated. Maize crops which surpassed all previous records. However, it is believed that the marginal farmers are cultivating more maize than the agriculture department estimates.
According to the concerned maize farmers, the land owners have focused on maize cultivation to avoid food shortage for livestock. Apart from this, agronomists believe that maize cultivation has increased due to the interest of farmers in agricultural incentives, favorable weather, moderate rains and modern agricultural technology. Farmers are optimistic about the possibility of bumper corn yield in Babuganj this season.
Although the main crop of the upazila is paddy, as the production cost is low, the trend of maize cultivation is increasing day by day among the farmers. In previous years, the farmers have focused on maize cultivation along with rice-wheat as the farmers did not get fair price for rice during the IRRI-Boro rice season. Besides, the farmers have focused on maize cultivation with the aim of creating food for livestock. The upazila agriculture office and the corn farmers of the area are expecting that the farmers will get a bumper crop of maize this time.
According to the sources of Upazila Agriculture Directorate, 100 farmers in 6 unions of Babuganj Upazila have been given government incentive for cultivating maize in 100 bigha. Each farmer has been provided with 2 kg maize grain and 30 kg fertilizer per bigha.
In Babuganj, Don111 variety of maize has been cultivated on 104 hectares of land. Kaveri-63 hybrid variety of maize in 125 hectares of land, hybrid Pacific-984 variety of maize in 5 hectares of land, Soparsine-2760 variety of maize in 75 hectares of land, BRRI maize-09 and hybrid Konk-51 varieties of maize in one hectare of land, BRRI hybrid-15 varieties of is cultivated on 1 hectares of land, BRRI hybrid KMHB-544 maize on 7 hectares of land, H-545 maize on 7 hectares of land and Khai maize on 10 hectares of land. A total of 335 hectares of maize cultivation in Babuganj exceeded the previous day's record.
According to the sources of the Agriculture Department, first, 20 kg of potash, 25 kg of phosphate, 10 kg of zip fertilizer, 1 kg of boron, 1 kg of granular and 1 kg of sulfur are mixed with the soil and 2 kg of corn seeds per bigha are to be sown. After 1 month, 25 kg of urea, 20 kg of DAP and 2 kg of thiovit per bigha should be irrigated in the field. Farmers cut and thresh corn within 90 days of sowing.
The cost of corn seed from sowing to harvesting is from 10,000 to 12,000 taka per bushel. A good yield produces 40 to 50 mounds of maize per bigha.
Kabir Hossain, a farmer of Chandpasha Union of the upazila, said that he cultivated corn on 2 bigha land with the help of the agriculture department and his own efforts. The harvest has begun. We hope to get good yield. As the reason for interest in maize cultivation, he said, he became interested in maize cultivation due to increase in the price of cow feed. Own four cows. Cows are fed corn to make them fat. Besides, corn plants can also be fed to cattle. Corn plants can be dried and burned as fuel. None of the corn is thrown away.
Farooq Howladar of the same area said, "Last time I cultivated maize in 4 bigha land and got good price. So this year I am cultivating maize in 6 bigha land. Hope to get good yield.
Rubel, a farmer of Lohalia village of Rahmatpur union, said that almost everyone in our area has planted more or less corn. This year, corn planting is more than last year.
Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officers Suruj Sikder and Raisul Islam Omar said that maize cultivation in Babuganj upazila has increased more than last year. Hoping for a bumper crop of maize. We are constantly visiting the farmers and providing advice so that the farmers can produce high yielding maize at low cost.
Babuganj Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Mamunur Rahman said that the Department of Agriculture has provided government incentives to the farmers for corn cultivation. The agriculture office has encouraged farmers to grow maize, resulting in more cultivation than in the past. Farmers grow more maize to meet the food needs of livestock in this region. If the government creates awareness about the nutritional value of corn and can create the trend of eating bread from corn flour, then there will be no food shortage in the country.
In this regard, Upazila Agriculture Officer Agriculturist Mamunur Rahman said that under the agricultural rehabilitation program in the current season, we have officially distributed maize seeds, DAB fertilizer and MPO fertilizer to small and marginal farmers. We are encouraging farmers to use modern agricultural technology to produce all types of crops so that farmers get agricultural inputs easily. Continuous monitoring especially for seeds, fertilizers and oil by upazila agriculture officials, maize yield has been good this time and bumper yield is likely.