GAIBANDHA, Nov 28, 2018 (BSS) – Seedbeds are being prepared by the
farmers to produce healthy seedlings for Boro farming in all the seven
upazilas in the district.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources said over 1,
25,000 hectares of land would be brought under Boro paddy cultivation this
year with a production target of at least 5,06,000 tonnes of rice.
To cultivate the paddy in the field, the seedbeds will be prepared on
over 7,500 hectares of land by sowing over 300 tonnes of quality seed of
various varieties in the district this season, source said.
By this time, a number of farmers have already prepared the seedbeds on
the low land.
High quality seed of Boro paddy like BRRI Dhan-28 BRRI Dhan-29, BRRI
Dhan-50 and BRRI Dhan-58 are being distributed to the farmers through BADC
and other private firms approved by Seed Certification Agency of the
government.
Besides, many farmers have taken preparations to make seedbeds by sowing
their own seed not depending on BADC and local markets as they received
training on seed preservation from the field level officials, said Showkat
Osman, district training officer of the DAE.
On the other hand, a section of unscrupulous and dishonest seed traders
have become so much active and are doing brisk business during the peak hours
of Boro seedbed preparation.
Their shops and markets have been flooded with fake and sub standard
Boro seed in attractive packets inscribed with seed related speeches in a bid
to sell those to the farmers.
In this context, the DAE officials advised the farmers not to buy fake
and substandard seed from the shops except BADC and government approved
dealers, sources said.
Talking to the BSS deputy director of DAE AKM Ruhul Amin said the field
level sub assistant agriculture officers were instructed to motivate the
farmers so that no growers could be cheated by buying fake and sub standard
seed from the dishonest seed traders.