BSS, Faridpur :
Harvesting of wheat began in the district with the expectation of bumper production in the current season.
According to Agriculture Extension Office (AEO) sources wheat was cultivated on 31, 510 hectares of land exceeding the official target of cultivating on 26, 630 hectares.
The production target has also been 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 of Boro paddy prompted them to bring more land under wheat cultivation and they are now busy in caring and nurturing the green standing crop in the field.
According to official sources, in Sadar upazilla wheat has been cultivated on 5,100 hectares of land with the target of producing 14,280 tonnes, in Charbhadrasan upazilla it has been cultivated on 1,000 hectares with the target of harvesting 2,800 tonnes of wheat.
In Nagarkanda upazilla 3,400 hectares of land has been brought under wheat cultivation with the target of producing 9,520 tonnes of wheat, in Saltha upazilla 5,600 tonnes of wheat is expected to be produced cultivating 2,000 hectares of land.
The target of wheat cultivable land has been 2,500 hectares for producing 7,000 tonnes of wheat in Sadarpur upazilla while in Bhanga upazilla 4,400 hectares of land has been brought under wheat cultivation for producing 12,330 tonnes.
In Madhukhali upazilla wheat production target was fixed at 8,960 tonnes after cultivating on 3,200 hectares of land. In Alfadanga upazilla wheat has been cultivated on 4,200 hectares of land with the production target of harvesting 2,324 tonnes of wheat.
Wheat has been cultivated on 4,200 hectares with the target of producing 11,760 tonnes of wheat in Boalmari upazilla.
Farmers Nurul Islam Molla, Shaikh Shafi and Akir Hossain of village Gadadhar dangi under Aliabad union of Sadar upazilla told BSS that they had to spend about taka 4500 for seed, fertilizer, irrigation and nourishment purpose for cultivating wheat on one bigha of land while the market price of wheat is now minimum Taka 900 per maund.
Harvesting of the crop has already started in some areas. The minimum yield per bigha is 16 to 18 maunds this year giving smile on the gloomy faces of the farmers being frustrated with the last year’s loss in Aman -Boro paddy.
According to AEO sources, 22 varieties of wheat seed were distributed 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.
