ZCZC
BSS-20
WHEAT-CULTIVATION (with picture)
Wheat farming continues in Rangpur agriculture region
RANGPUR, Jan 3, 2019 (BSS) – The tender wheat plants are growing superbly
amid favorable climatic conditions predicting better production despite
shortfall in the farming target this season in Rangpur agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said,
the farmers have brought 19,810 hectares of land under wheat cultivation
against the fixed target of bringing 23,763 hectares of land under its
farming in the region.
Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam Horticulture Specialist of DAE at its regional
office here said a target of producing 78,478 tonnes of wheat from 23,763
hectares of land has been fixed for all five districts of the region during
the current Rabi season.
“The fixed wheat farming target marked a shortfall by only 4,953 hectares
of land this season following cultivation of maize and potato on more land by
the farmers in the region,” he said.
However, the overall wheat production might be excellent as the farmers
have mostly sowed high quality, disease resistant and stress tolerant
varieties of wheat seed timely using the latest technologies after harvesting
short duration Aman rice.
Talking to BSS, Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md
Moniruzzaman also predicted a better wheat production following use of the
high yielding variety seed and conservation agriculture (CA)-based
technologies this season.
Earlier, wheat production was being affected in the past due to adverse
impacts of high temperature on its farming from flowering to ripening stages
for late sowing of seed after harvesting late variety Aman, use of low
quality local seed and other reasons.
“However, the farmers are getting bumper wheat production in recent years
following expanded cultivation of the high yielding, stress-tolerant and high
temperature- tolerant wheat varieties adopting the latest conservation
technologies,” he added.
The farmers have mostly cultivated high yielding wheat varieties like
‘Bijoy’, ‘Pradip’, ‘Sotabdhi’, BARI Gom25, BARI Gom26, BARI Gom27, BARI
Gom28, BARI Gom29 and BARI Gom29 this time to get yield rates between 3 and
3.7 tonnes per hectare.
Farmers Alif Uddin, Lokman Hossain and Bhola Nath of different villages in
Rangpur said tender wheat plants are growing excellent on their farmlands
amid favourable climate conditions predicting a bumper production of the crop
this season.
Regional Additional Director of the DAE Md Shah Alam said necessary
assistance were provided to the farmers for expanding cultivation of less
irrigation water consuming cereal crops like wheat and maize in the region
this season.
BSS/MI/ARS/1744 hrs