BSS, Rangpur :
Transplantation of Aman seedling is nearing completion as the farmers have already completed the same by about 95 percent following adequate rains in recent days after a drought-like situation in the northern region.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, the farmers have already completed transplantation of Aman seedling on over 16.88 lakh hectares of land, about 95 percent of the targeted 17.85 lakh hectares land in the region.
Horticulturist Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam of DAE said farmers are very happy now following frequent and adequate rainfall in recent days and fixed Aman farming target might exceed this season as seedling transplantation would continue by this month end.
Earlier, the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority and Water Development Board through the Teesta Barrage Project started providing supplementary irrigation and farmers began operating shallow machines for seedling transplantation following drought-like situation.
“However, the adequate and frequent seasonal rainfall in recent days have totally eased the drought-like situation now with problem to achieve the fixed T-Aman farming target and even to exceed it by this month-end,” Mesbahul added.
Talking to BSS, Rangpur Regional Additional Director of DAE Kamal Kumar Sarker said the drought-like situation is now completely over and the farmers have adequate rainwater all-around for timely completion of T-Aman seedling transplantation.
While expressing their pleasure over the rainfall in recent days, farmers Musfikur Rahman, Mahbub Uddin, Echahaq Ali, Shachindra Nath and Ariful Haque said they have already completed transplantation of T-Aman seedlings by yesterday.
According to DAE sources, the government has fixed an extensive programme of producing over 47.24 lakh tonne of clean T-Aman rice of high yielding, local and hybrid rice varieties from 17.85 lakh hectares land during this season in the region.
Of them, 16.37 lakh hectares land were to be brought under high yielding variety Aman farming to produce 44.54 lakh tonne rice, 1.31 lakh hectares under local variety to produce 2.16 lakh tonne rice and 16,391 hectares under hybrid variety to produce 54,090 tonne Aman rice.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said the recent drought situation hampered transplantation of Aman seedling and the situation has now totally changed following adequate rainfall making the farmers happy.
Noted rice scientist and Associate Director -Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia & Africa) Dr MA Mazid said the climate change impacts are the reasons behind the recent drought- like situation that causes grave concern to the agriculture sector.
However, he suggested the farmers for transplanting 3 to 4 sticks in place of 2 sticks of seedling reducing spaces between the clusters on rest of their crop land to get better rice production as most of the seedling have now become older.
