National Desk :
As harvest of Boro paddy is nearing completion, farmers are happy getting excellent yield in Rangpur agriculture region, expecting its bumper production this season.
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials said farmers have already completed harvesting 97.70 percent of their Boro paddy with an average yield rate of 4.37 tonnes of clean rice per hectare of land.
Earlier, the DAE had fixed a target of producing 21.54 lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice (32.31 lakh tonnes of paddy) from 4.96 lakh hectares of land for the region this season. “Braving the coronavirus pandemic, farmers have cultivated Boro paddy on 5.03 lakh hectares of land, 1.41 percent higher than the fixed farming target,” Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Bibhubhushan Roy told BSS.
Farmers have cultivated Boro paddy on more land after getting assistance from the government under the post-flood agriculture rehabilitation programme to recoup the crop losses they incurred during the last year’s floods in the region.
“Till Sunday, farmers have harvested Boro paddy on 4.61 lakh hectares of land in the region producing over 2.01 lakh tonnes of clean rice as the average yield rate is 4.37 tonnes per hectare,” Roy said.
Many farmers are utilising combined harvester machines for harvesting Boro paddy on one acre of land spending only Taka 3,000 in an hour against Taka 6,000 for the same purpose by engaging labourers. “The government through the DAE has distributed combined harvester machines among farmers and groups of farmers at Taka 14 lakh per unit against the real price of Taka 28 lakh at 50 percent subsidised rates,” Roy said.
Besides, farmers are easily harvesting Boro paddy using reaper machines in all five districts of the region this season.
“The field level DAE officials and experts extended necessary assistance to farmers and provided latest technologies to make the Boro rice cultivation programme a success,” Roy added.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said the government had ensured smooth irrigation, supply of fuels, fertilisers and electricity to achieve the fixed Boro rice production target. “As a result of various steps taken by the government and cultivation of high yielding and hybrid varieties of Boro paddy on more land this season, a bumper production is expected in the region,” Rashid added.
Talking to BSS, farmers Ariful Haque, Manik Mian, Echhahaq Ali, Mokhlesur Rahman, Mohsin Ali and Mofizar Rahman of different villages in Rangpur said they have cultivated Boro paddy on two to six acres of land each this season.
“We have completed harvesting our Boro paddy with excellent yield rates and got a bumper production this season,” said farmer Ariful, adding that he is happy as the government has started procuring Boro paddy from farmers at fair prices.
