The farmers achieved bumper production of the off-season Aus rice by producing 65,505 tonnes clean paddy in all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region this season.
The achieved production is higher by 8,669 tonnes or 15.25 per cent than the fixed production target of 56,836 tonnes Aus rice from 22,198 hectares of land this year in the region, Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said.
The farmers had finally cultivated the crop in 22,806 hectares of land, exceeding the fixed farming target by 608 hectares, though the recent floods later damaged standing Aus crop on 1,055 hectares of land this season.
Of the fixed target, the farmers were to produce 7,254 tonnes of hybrid variety Aus rice from 4,087 hectares of land, 43,744 tonnes of high yielding variety Aus rice from 17,356 hectares and 981 tonnes of local variety Aus rice from 981 hectares of land this year.
Finally, they produced 17,282 tonnes of hybrid variety Aus rice from 4,802 hectares of land, 47,674 tonnes high yielding variety Aus rice from 16,590 hectares land and 549 tonnes local variety Aus rice from 359 hectares of land this season.
Horticulture specialist of the DAE Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam told BSS that the recent floods damaged Aus crop on 1,055 hectares of land causing production losses of 2,701 tonnes of rice worth Taka 8.64 crore in the region this season.
“However, the farmers achieved bumper Aus rice production as an additional crop after harvesting the same from the remaining 21,751 hectares of land to produce 65,505 tonnes clean rice,” Mesbahul added.
As a result of comprehensive steps taken by the government, including distribution of various subsidies, incentives and conducting motivational activities, the farmers have been showing more interests in Aus farming in recent years.
“After completing Aus cultivation during the off-season after Boro harvests and before Aman transplantation, farmers have successfully cultivated Aman crop on the same land,” Rangpur Regional Additional Director of the DAE Md Shah Alam said.
He said farming of Aus crop using unused seasonal rain waters should be increased during the off season as an additional and substitute cereal crop to costly Boro farming to increase rice production without hampering Aman cultivation.
