BSS, Rangpur :
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) are expecting a bumper production of winter vegetables in all five districts under Rangpur Agriculture Zone during the current Rabi season.
The farmers are happy after getting bumper yield with lucrative price of their early harvested vegetables as the harvesting process continues now at this last stage of cultivation of the crops.
Talking to BSS, Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its regional office here Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said sowing of the seeds of few varieties of winter vegetables would continue till this month-end.
“The farmers have already brought 39,848 hectares of land under cultivation of winter vegetables against the fixed target of cultivating the crop in 37,729 hectares of land to produce over 7.88-lakh tonnes vegetables this time in the region,” he said.
The farmers have so far exceeded the fixed farming target of winter vegetables by 2,119 hectares of land or 5.62 percent in the region.
“The farmers have cultivated winter vegetables in 13,393 hectares of land in Rangpur, 7,950 hectares in Gaibandha, 6,805 hectares in Kurigram, 6,205 hectares in Lalmonirhat and 5,495 hectares of land in Nilphamari districts so far under the region,” Islam added.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office here Md Moniruzzaman said cultivation of vegetables during both winter and summer seasons has become popular in recent times bringing huge profits to the farmers.
“As a result of expanded cultivation of early variety winter vegetables adopting newer cropping patterns, all varieties of the winter vegetables have appeared in plenty in the local markets,” he said.
The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute and NGOs have distributed incentives in terms of seeds and fertilisers among the farmers and provided them with technical assistance for vegetables farming.
“The commercial banks have also disbursed easy-term agriculture loans among the farmers to make the intensive winter vegetables farming programme successful this season,” Moniruzzaman added.
Regional Additional Director of DAE Md Shah Alam said the farmers are continuing cultivation of winter vegetables side by side with harvesting the early variety vegetables to earn better profits.
Sources in the local markets said vegetables traders are exporting huge quantities of winter vegetables daily to Dhaka and other parts of the country by trucks from different areas of the region.
Five cops, 3 organisations awarded for professional excellence: The Rangpur Range of Bangladesh Police has awarded its five personnel and three organisations with medals acknowledging their professional and organisational excellence and courage in discharging duties. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) for Rangpur Range Khondker Golam Faruk distributed the awards at the monthly crime, law and order assessment meeting for December held at his conference room here on Sunday afternoon, officials said. He distributed the medals among the police personnel of all eight districts under Rangpur Range for laudable performances in maintaining law and order and handling crimes. Superintendent of Police for Lalmonirhat SM Rashidul Haque received the best award on behalf of the district police for maintaining excellent law and order, preventing drug trafficking and drug trading in the district.
Besides, Rangpur unit of Traffic Police, Panchagarh Sadar Thana unit of Community Policing Committee and Lalmonirhat Sadar Thana were awarded as organisations for their best performances in maintaining excellent law and order situation. The other awarded police personnel are Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) for Lalmonirhat Circle-A Shushanto Sarker, Sub-Inspector (SI) Moazzem Uddin of Thakurgaon DB Police, SI Mofazzal Hossain of Lalmonirhat Sadar Thana and SI Al Amin of Rangpur Kotwali Thana. Superintendents of Police (SP) from Rangpur, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur and Gaibandha districts under Rangpur Range were present, among others, reports BSS.
