BSS, Rangpur :
Harvest of short duration Aman rice varieties continues in full swing creating huge jobs for farm-labourers and poor in Rangpur region at this peak hour of the seasonal lean period.
The harvest began from beginning of ‘Aswin’ and will continue till end of ‘Kartik’ assisting the poor in overcoming seasonal lean period of ‘monga’, a joblessness situation, that already disappeared from the region eight years back.
Horticulture Specialist Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said expanded cultivation of short duration rice varieties already became popular to combat seasonal ‘monga’ successfully since 2008.
“There is no ‘monga’ for the eighth consecutive year this time following expanded farming of short duration rice and the government’s ongoing massive social safety-net programmes,” he added.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator Mamunur Rashid of RDRS Bangladesh said early harvest of short duration rice and farming of subsequent early winter crops in same land created working opportunities for farm- and day-labourers during lean period.
According to DAE sources, the farmers cultivated Aman crop in 5.85 lakh hectares of land exceeding fixed target of bringing 5.21 lakh hectares of land under its cultivation to produce 14 lakh tonnes rice by 64,039 hectares in the region this season.
Of them, they have cultivated short duration BRRI dhan33, BRRI dhan39, BRRI dhan56 and 57 and BINA dhan7 Aman rice varieties in 40,943 hectares of land that constitutes 7 per cent of the totally cultivated 5.85 lakh hectares of land area.
The farmers cultivated BRRI dhan33 rice in 9,118 hectares of land, BRRI dhan39 in 3,989 hectares, BRRI dhan56 in 3,813 hectares, BRRI dhan57 in 1,476 hectares, BRRI dhan62 in 1,757 hectares and BINA dhan7 rice in 20,790 hectares of land this season.
“The farmers have already completed harvest on 50 per cent of cultivated short duration rice varieties to get 4.5 to 4.8 tonnes yield rates of Aman crop in terms of paddy per hectare,” Deputy Director of DAE SM Ashraf Ali said.
“I completed harvest of my cultivated short duration BRRI dhan62 yesterday and got excellent yield rate of 4.87 tonnes paddy per hectare,” said female farmer Abiron Begum of village Sarderpara under Taraganj upazila in Rangpur.
Farmers Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar, Echhahaq Ali and Aiyub Ali of Kathihara village under Sadar upazila here said they already harvested BRRI dhan56, BINA dhan7 and BRRI dhan33 rice to get 4.7 to 5.8 tonnes paddy yield per hectare.
Regional Additional Director of DAE Shah Alam said expanded cultivation of short duration rice varieties followed by farming of early potato, winter vegetables, mungbean, maize and mustard increased crop intensity in recent years bringing more profits to farmers.
Promoting jute-based hand-loom industries emphasized: Providing training and inspiring private sector small-scale entrepreneurs have become imperative to promote jute-based hand-loom industries for enhancing production of eco-friendly diversified jute products.
The observations came at inaugural ceremony of a three-day Jute Product Fair- 2016 organised by CARE Bangladesh under the SWITCH-Asia Jute Value Project “Jute Diversified Products” at Police Community Centre here on Monday.
The European Union has been extending financial cooperation in arranging the fair for promoting jute-based hand-loom industries involving local entrepreneurs, exhibition and marketing of locally produced diversified jute products.
Twenty-four jute product producing enterprises from all over the country have set up stalls in the fair displaying eco-friendly and diversified jute products of international standard.
Sadar Upazila Cooperative Officer Farid Uddin Sarker as the chief guest inaugurated the fair. It was presided over by Team Leader of SWITCH-Asia Jute Value Project of CARE Bangladesh Shekhor Bhattacharya.
Technical Manager of SWITCH-Asia Jute Value Project Mohammad Elias, representative of Jute Diversification Promotion Centre Meher Hossain addressed, among others.
Harvest of short duration Aman rice varieties continues in full swing creating huge jobs for farm-labourers and poor in Rangpur region at this peak hour of the seasonal lean period.
The harvest began from beginning of ‘Aswin’ and will continue till end of ‘Kartik’ assisting the poor in overcoming seasonal lean period of ‘monga’, a joblessness situation, that already disappeared from the region eight years back.
Horticulture Specialist Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said expanded cultivation of short duration rice varieties already became popular to combat seasonal ‘monga’ successfully since 2008.
“There is no ‘monga’ for the eighth consecutive year this time following expanded farming of short duration rice and the government’s ongoing massive social safety-net programmes,” he added.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator Mamunur Rashid of RDRS Bangladesh said early harvest of short duration rice and farming of subsequent early winter crops in same land created working opportunities for farm- and day-labourers during lean period.
According to DAE sources, the farmers cultivated Aman crop in 5.85 lakh hectares of land exceeding fixed target of bringing 5.21 lakh hectares of land under its cultivation to produce 14 lakh tonnes rice by 64,039 hectares in the region this season.
Of them, they have cultivated short duration BRRI dhan33, BRRI dhan39, BRRI dhan56 and 57 and BINA dhan7 Aman rice varieties in 40,943 hectares of land that constitutes 7 per cent of the totally cultivated 5.85 lakh hectares of land area.
The farmers cultivated BRRI dhan33 rice in 9,118 hectares of land, BRRI dhan39 in 3,989 hectares, BRRI dhan56 in 3,813 hectares, BRRI dhan57 in 1,476 hectares, BRRI dhan62 in 1,757 hectares and BINA dhan7 rice in 20,790 hectares of land this season.
“The farmers have already completed harvest on 50 per cent of cultivated short duration rice varieties to get 4.5 to 4.8 tonnes yield rates of Aman crop in terms of paddy per hectare,” Deputy Director of DAE SM Ashraf Ali said.
“I completed harvest of my cultivated short duration BRRI dhan62 yesterday and got excellent yield rate of 4.87 tonnes paddy per hectare,” said female farmer Abiron Begum of village Sarderpara under Taraganj upazila in Rangpur.
Farmers Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar, Echhahaq Ali and Aiyub Ali of Kathihara village under Sadar upazila here said they already harvested BRRI dhan56, BINA dhan7 and BRRI dhan33 rice to get 4.7 to 5.8 tonnes paddy yield per hectare.
Regional Additional Director of DAE Shah Alam said expanded cultivation of short duration rice varieties followed by farming of early potato, winter vegetables, mungbean, maize and mustard increased crop intensity in recent years bringing more profits to farmers.
Promoting jute-based hand-loom industries emphasized: Providing training and inspiring private sector small-scale entrepreneurs have become imperative to promote jute-based hand-loom industries for enhancing production of eco-friendly diversified jute products.
The observations came at inaugural ceremony of a three-day Jute Product Fair- 2016 organised by CARE Bangladesh under the SWITCH-Asia Jute Value Project “Jute Diversified Products” at Police Community Centre here on Monday.
The European Union has been extending financial cooperation in arranging the fair for promoting jute-based hand-loom industries involving local entrepreneurs, exhibition and marketing of locally produced diversified jute products.
Twenty-four jute product producing enterprises from all over the country have set up stalls in the fair displaying eco-friendly and diversified jute products of international standard.
Sadar Upazila Cooperative Officer Farid Uddin Sarker as the chief guest inaugurated the fair. It was presided over by Team Leader of SWITCH-Asia Jute Value Project of CARE Bangladesh Shekhor Bhattacharya.
Technical Manager of SWITCH-Asia Jute Value Project Mohammad Elias, representative of Jute Diversification Promotion Centre Meher Hossain addressed, among others.
