BSS, Gaibandha :
Harvesting of zinc enriched rice BRRI Dhan-62 produced on the demonstration plots has been progressing fast in the district for few days amid much enthusiasm to the farmers.
Agri-experts sources said as the rice played vital role to meet the necessary requirement of micronutrient for a human body and increase disease resistant capacity of children, RDRS Bangladesh and Harvest Plus took initiative to popularize the farming of the variety in farmers’ level.
Accordingly, a total of 75 demonstration plots were set up in the district at the joint enterprise of the organizations to motivate the farmers so that they could farm the variety in large scale next seasons.
Till October 16, harvest of zinc enriched rice BRRI Dhan 62 on 40 demonstration plots out of 74 had been completed. The growers are also getting desired output against the variety, said a field level agri official of the RDRS Bangladesh.
Very recently, a field day on cutting of zinc enriched rice BRRI Dhan 62 at the arrangement of RDRS Bangladesh was held at Habibullahpur block of Bongram union of Sadullapur upazila through the participation of the agri experts and the farmers.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Abu Bakar Siddiqui attended the ceremony as the chief guest and Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension Mir Abdur Razzak was present as the chief guest.
Zinc is one of the most vital micronutrients. Deficiency of zinc hampers normal growth of children and also decreases the disease prevention capacity of the poor and the vulnerable people including the pregnant women, the experts said.
The experts also said the BRRI released the variety for all over the country last year after a latest breakthrough in research in the field, and it’s a short-duration high-yielding variety of rice which could be cultivated in Aman season.
Each kg of rice contained 19 mg of zinc and 9 percent of protein which will ensure high nutrition and will play a significant role in prevention of diseases, they said adding that zinc also played a vital role in prevention of liver-related diseases.
