BSS, Rangpur :
The farmers have been sowing mustard seed now in full swing to achieve the fixed production target of 57,750 tonnes of the oilseed from 44,705 hectares of land during this Rabi season in Rangpur agriculture region.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, the fixed mustard production target is higher by 20,576 tonnes than the last year’s target of producing 37,174 tonnes from 31,502 hectares of land in the region.
The farmers have already sowed mustard seed in 33,540 hectares of land, 75.03 per cent of the fixed target of bringing 44,705 hectares of land under its cultivation in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts under the region.
The DAE and other concerned agriculture related departments and non-government organisations and banks have been extending assistance to the framers to make the fixed mustard cultivation programme successful this season.
Talking to BSS, Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam said the farmers were showing their keen interests in farming the highly profitable cash crop after getting repeated bumper productions with excellent price in recent years.
“Sowing of mustard seed in the huge char areas on the Dharla, Teesta, Brahmaputra, Kartoa and Jamuna and other riverine tracts has already been completed as the process continues in full swing in the mainland,” he added.
He said that the farmers would complete sowing of mustard seed within the next couple of weeks and they were mostly sowing the popular high yielding variety mustard seed evolved by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI).
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid hoped that the farmers would bring more land under mustard cultivation this year than the fixed target after getting bumper yield to earn huge profits in recent years.
Rangpur Regional Additional Director of the DAE Md Shah Alam said necessary training, inputs, quality seed, latest technologies and agri-loans were being provided to the farmers to make the mustard farming programme successful.
