BSS, Khulna :
The farmers of Khulna region so far completed 96 percent transplantation of Aman rice seedlings on targeted lands this season. Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials said the farmers have transplanted Aman seedlings on 2, 98,155 hectares of land against the targeted land area of 2, 99,110 hectares till Monday. The tender plants of the crop are now growing superbly following recent rainfall making farmers happy after the recent drought-like situation in the region. Additional Director of the DAE Fazlul Haque told BSS that transplantation of Aman rice seedlings may be completed with in short time.
He said the seedlings transplantation began here on June 16 and will continue till September 20.
“As transplantation of seedlings of late varieties of Aman rice nears completion, we are expecting to achieve the fixed farming target of the crop this time,” he said. The government has fixed a target of producing 8,04,723 tonnes of clean Aman rice from 2,99,110 hectares of land in all four districts of Bagerhat, Satkhira, Narail and Khulna in the region this season. The government has taken special measures to ensure supply of high quality seeds, fertilizers and fuels, making model seedbeds, balanced fertilization and adoption of improved technologies to enhance rice production. Additional steps have also been taken like preparation of late varieties of Aman rice seedbeds on highlands and floating seedbeds in low-lying areas so that there was no crisis of seedlings for floods.
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and farmers put their 77,391 irrigation pumps operational for transplantation of Aman rice seedlings and irrigate their crop fields amid less rainfall this year “However, the situation became favourable following adequate rainfall in recent days and farmers are expected to achieve the fixed farming and production targets of Aman rice this season,” Haque added.
Farmers Harun Mia of village Dumuria and Mostafizur Rahman of village Batiaghata under Khulna said they have completed transplantation of Aman rice seedlings mostly on time using underground water by irrigation pumps in last week of August
“The tender Aman rice plants are growing superbly now on our crop fields following frequent rainfall in recent weeks,” said farmer Shajahan of village Kathenga in Terokhada upazila of Khulna.
