Sylhet Correspondent :
Harvesting of Aus paddy is going on in full swing in Sylhet region.
Farmers have so far harvested about 83 per cent of the standing paddy, official sources said, adding, it would be completed within a couple of weeks.
DAE’s Deputy Director Dr. Mamun Ur Rashid Said. Against the last year’s 134,025 hectares of land, the current season’s Aus paddy cultivation was on 137,629 hectares of land while the previously set target had been 137,170 hectares. Although the recent floods had already damaged some crop in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, the division’s target of yield would be achieved, he said.
The total cultivated area includes 47,415 hectares in Sylhet, 43,597 hectares in Moulvibazar and 39,930 hectares in Habiganj district while 6687 hectares were cultivated in Sunamganj district.
Of the total, 133,228 hectares were under the different high yielding varieties and the local varieties were cultivated on 3,493 hectares, the official added. Besides, hybrid varieties of the paddy were cultivated on 100 hectares in Moulvibazar only.
So far 114,925 hectares had already been harvested. It includes, 36,510 hectares in Sylhet, 36,660 hectares in Moulvibazar, 35.937 hectares in Habiganj and 5,818 hectares in Sunamganj.
Under the targeted programme, 361,000 tonnes of rice is expected to be produced in the division against the last year’s 349,233 tonnes. This year’s production target include, 119,800 tonnes in Sylhet, 118,800 tonnes in Moulvibazar, 106,400 tonnes in Habiganj and 16,500 tonnes in Sunamganj.
This year 25,700 selected farmers in 234 unions in 28 upazilas of Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts were covered under incentive programme. They were supplied with HYV seeds and fertilizers and other expenses for farming worth totalling Tk 34.5 million in incentives.
Moreover, 2700 farmers were supplied with Nerika variety seeds and 40 kgs of fertilisers for one bigha land each free of cost. The Nerika paddy farming incentive programme had cost another Tk 52,11,000.
