Mintu Abdur Rahman, Rangpur :
Boro paddy farming is gradually declining in five districts under Rangpur agriculture region in recent years as the growers are showing less interest in its cultivation than some other crops.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Rangpur official sources said, farmers have cultivated Boro on 6 ,02,283 hectares of land in five districts of the region this season. The districts are Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat.
It was cultivated on 6,21,283 hectares of land in 2016 while it was 5,11,686 hectares last year.In contrast, potato cultivation has risen by 10,357 hectares in the last two years from 94,255 hectares in 2016 to 1,00,612 hectares in 2017.While maize cultivation area has also increased in the last two years from 75,200 hectares in 2016 to 86,424 hectares this year.
Expressing disappointment Shahjahan Mia, a farmer of Santospur village at Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur said that he has cultivated boro on around 3 acres of land this year though he cultivated it on 4 acres of land last year. Last year he had to face huge loss from boro cultivation. He sold per maund of paddy at Tk 550 to Tk 600 whereas its production cost was Tk 750 to Tk 800 per maund, he added.
DAE sources said D,Sharurul Haq the department is also suggesting farmers to decrease the farming of irrigation-based boro owing to falling of underground water layer and less profit in comparison with crops like potato, mustard and maize.
Boro paddy farming is gradually declining in five districts under Rangpur agriculture region in recent years as the growers are showing less interest in its cultivation than some other crops.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Rangpur official sources said, farmers have cultivated Boro on 6 ,02,283 hectares of land in five districts of the region this season. The districts are Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat.
It was cultivated on 6,21,283 hectares of land in 2016 while it was 5,11,686 hectares last year.In contrast, potato cultivation has risen by 10,357 hectares in the last two years from 94,255 hectares in 2016 to 1,00,612 hectares in 2017.While maize cultivation area has also increased in the last two years from 75,200 hectares in 2016 to 86,424 hectares this year.
Expressing disappointment Shahjahan Mia, a farmer of Santospur village at Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur said that he has cultivated boro on around 3 acres of land this year though he cultivated it on 4 acres of land last year. Last year he had to face huge loss from boro cultivation. He sold per maund of paddy at Tk 550 to Tk 600 whereas its production cost was Tk 750 to Tk 800 per maund, he added.
DAE sources said D,Sharurul Haq the department is also suggesting farmers to decrease the farming of irrigation-based boro owing to falling of underground water layer and less profit in comparison with crops like potato, mustard and maize.
