The farmers have been continuing transplantation of Boro seedlings in full swing in the northern districts through engaging all-out efforts to make its cultivation programme successful this season.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, farmers have already completed transplantation on 8.50 lakh hectares of land, which is about 53 percent of the fixed target of bringing 16.09 lakh hectares under Boro cultivation.
“Transplantation of Boro seedlings continues in full swing under favourable climatic condition everywhere,” Horticulture Specialist Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam of the DAE said.
Meanwhile, farmers have already completed Boro seedling transplantation on the low-lying lands in the ‘beels’, ‘haors’, char areas and dried-up river beds so that they could harvest those before the next rainy season begins, he said.
According to DAE sources, nearly six lakh irrigation pumps including power and diesel driven deep tube wells, shallow tube wells and low lift pumps have been operating in the region now for irrigating the Boro fields.
The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities, Teesta Barrage Project, Power Development Board (PDB) and Rural Electrification Board (REB) have taken steps to make Boro cultivation programme successful.
According to officials of the DAE, BMDA, PDB and REB, there is no problem with the supply of diesel, power or ones izers anywhere following adequate steps taken by the present government.
Renowned rice scientist and Associate Director (Agriculture) of BRAC International (South Asia & Africa) Dr MA Mazid suggested the farmers for completing the seedling transplantation within February 15 in the maximum land area to get maximum yield.
According to the DAE sources, the government has fixed an all- time record nationwide target of producing 1.89 crore ones clean Boro rice from 47.80 lakh hectares of land in all 64 districts during this Rabi season.
Under the programme, a target of producing 64.03 lakh ones of Boro rice, 33.87 per cent of the fixed national production target, has been fixed for the northern region for this season.
BSS from Gaibandha adds: Transplantation of Boro seedlings has been progressing fast in all the seven upazilas in the district during the current Boro season amid much enthusiasm to the farmers to get desired yield.
Office sources said the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has set a plan to bring 1,25,325 hectares of land under the cultivation this year with the production target of 5,04,425 tonnes of rice.
Of the total, some 19,630 hectares of land would be brought under the cultivation programme in Sadar Upazila, 14,925 in Sadullapur Upazila, 12,775 in Palashbari Upazila, 30,550 in Gobindaganj Upazila, 24,100 in Sundarganj Upazila, 15,050 in Shaghata Upazila and 8,295 in Fhulchhari Upazila.
Now, the farmers of the district have become so much busy to prepare their land and to transplant the Boro seedlings raised from the seedbed with the hopes of getting desired output this year like the previous one, said Mamtaz Uddin Bepari, a farmer of Samash area under Sundarganj Upazila.
To bring the land under cultivation programme, the farmers prepared seed beds on 5,822 hectares of low land where the seedlings have grown well due to favorable climatic condition, said Golam Mostafa, crops production specialist of DAE.
To make the cultivation a grand success, necessary measures had been taken to supply fertilizers, insecticides, electricity and other agri-inputs to the farmers at fair prices side by side ensuring with irrigation facility, he also said.
Besides, the commercial banks including Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank have taken initiatives to disburse loan to the farmers here on easy terms to help them cultivate the crop without economical troubles, said a bank official.
Deputy Director of DAE Mir Abdur Razzak said about 80 Per cent farming of Boro paddy had already been completed in the district till February 8 and it would continue till March 15.
