Bumper production of wheat was achieved in Sylhet district in the current season.
A source at the Directorate of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Sylhet said that a target of producing some 74 lakh metric tons of wheat on 7,325 hectares of land was fixed in the current season. The target was surpassed and farmers cultivated wheat on 20,090 hectares of land and the yield reached at 3,104 metric tons.
The average production was 3.379 metric tons per hectare against the target of 3.049 metric tons per hectare.
A farmer of village bibidoil under Dakshin Surma upazila Tipu Khan said that he had cultivated wheat on one bigha of land and got an yield of 17 maunds (a maund=40 kg) and 10 kg.
Another farmer of the same village Hosiar Ali said he also cultivated wheat on one bigha of land and got an yield of 16 maunds.
Rezaul Karim, another farmer of village Raipur under Sylhet sadar upazila said he had cultivated wheat on 5 bighas of land which he had sold the yield at Tk 900 per maund.
This year the market price of wheat is more than that of the last year and the farmers are happy receiving a good market price.
The farmers said wheat can be thrashed in the machines that can be set up right on the wheat field. As a result, the carrying cost from the field and thrashing manually is more economic and less time consuming.
Moreover, thrashing wheat in the machine is lass time consuming and the farmers can cultivate jute, maize and summer mug (pulse) on the same land. After harvesting jute, maize and summer mug (pulse) the farmers can cultivate Aman paddy on the same land. In this way on the same land three crops can be cultivated in a year.
Deputy Director of the DAE at Sylhet said the production of wheat in Sylhet district this year is far better than previous years. He attributed the good production to easy availabity of seed, fertilizer, pesticide, irrigation facilities and favourable weather in the current season. Moreover, the farmers can cultivate jute, maize and summer mug (pulse) on the same land by which the farmers would be more benefited and at the same time three crops can be cultivated on the same land in a year.
Experts opined the soil, climate, topographic condition and rainfall of Sylhet district are more suitable that any other area of the country.
BSS from Faridpur adds : Bumper wheat production is expected in the district in the current season.
According to Agriculture Extension Office (AEO) sources in the current season wheat was cultivated on 31,510 hectares of land exceeding the official target of cultivating on 26,630 hectares.
The production target has also increased from 74,546 tonnes to one lakh tonnes reflecting a sigh of relief for the farmers who incurred losses in the past Aman-Boro season due to low price. However, that loss prompted them to bring more land under wheat cultivation who are now busy in harvesting wheat and processing those for marketing.
According to official sources, in Sadar upazilla wheat was cultivated on 5100 hectares with the target of producing 14280 tonnes, in Charbhadrasan upazilla it was cultivated on 1000 hectares with the target of harvesting 2800 tonnes of wheat.
According to the sources, in Nagarkanda upazilla 3400 hectares was brought under wheat cultivation with the target of producing 9520 tonnes of wheat, in Saltha upazilla 5600 tonnes of wheat is expected to be produced cultivating 2000 hectares of land. In Sadarpur upazilla the target of wheat cultivable land was 2500 hectares for producing 7000 tonnes of wheat while in Bhanga upazilla 4400 hectares was brought under wheat cultivation for producing 12330 tonnes.
In Madhukhali upazilla, wheat production target was fixed at 8960 tonnes after cultivating on 3200 hectares of land.
In Alfadanga upazilla wheat was cultivated on 4200 hectares with the production target of harvesting 2324 tonnes of wheat.
According to the sources, in Boalmari upazilla it was cultivated on 4200 hectares with the target of producing 11760 tonnes of wheat.
Farmers Nurul Islam Molla, Shaikh Shafi and Fela Molla of village Gadadhar Dangi under Aliabad union of Sadar upazilla told BSS that about Taka 4000 had to spend due to seed, fertilizer, irrigation and nourishment purpose for cultivating wheat in one bigha of land while the market price is now minimum Taka 900 per maund. The minimum yield per bigha is 16 to 18 maunds this year.
According to AEO sources, 22 varieties of wheat seed were fielded this year in this district which have given positive results supported by timely availability of seed, fertilizer, irrigation and pesticides overall favorable climatic condition during the current wheat season.
