ZCZC
BSS-03
PADDY-FIELD-DAY (With picture)
Farmers urged to bring more lands under BRRI-63 farming
RAJSHAHI, March 9, 2019 (BSS)- Agricultural extension officials urged the
grassroots farmers to bring more lands under BRRI-dhan 63 farming for
boosting rice production in the region including its vast Barind tract.
They mentioned that production of BRRI-dhan 63, a fine quality high-
yielding rice variety newly developed by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute
(BRRI), has raised great optimism among farmers in the area as well as
agricultural scientists, after it has been released to farmers for growing in
Boro season.
They came up with the observation while addressing a farmers’ field day at
Alimganj area under Paba upazila in the district on Friday. Department of
Agriculture Extension (DAE) organised the programme where more than 100
farmers both male and female attended.
DAE Director (Crop Wing) SM Hashen Ali and its Additional Director SM
Mustafizur Rahman addressed the meeting as chief and special guests
respectively with Deputy Director Shamsul Haque in the chair.
Deputy Directors Rafiqul Islam and Ajahar Ali, Upazila Agriculture
Officers Sharmin Sultana, Dr Bimol Kumar Pramanik and Mamudul Faruque also
spoke on the occasion.
The new high-yielding rice variety has raised rays of hope among farmers
and scientists after its production of eight tonnes per hectare in the Boro
session last year. ‘Soru balam’ or BRRI-dhan 63 is thin and long like miniket
rice and it has no aroma, said a source of the meeting.
The success will further increase interests among the farmers of the
Barind region in Boro session, local farmers said.
Agriculturist Hashen Ali observed that the BRRI-63 produced around eight
tonnes of rice in only 148 days, which takes little time than BRRI-28 and
BRRI-29 and shows somewhat more production than that of the traditional rice.
Farmer Asadul Islam of the area said the rice of the BRRI-63 is fine and
tall. Its price is more than coarse rice in the market.
He said, “Many farmers expressed expectation to cultivate the paddy in the
next session noticing my success.”
The Agricultural extension officials told that the new high-yielding rice
variety had been officially released to farmers in 2013 for growing in Boro
season.
The BBRI-63 was invented as hybrid and it is possible to collect the paddy
from the field within 145 to 148 days.
It is highly productive in Boro season with an average yield potential of
7 to 7.5 metric tonne (MT) per hectare.
The BRRI-63 is exportable for being fine quality high-yielding rice. Its
market price will be double than coarse rice as the rice is beautiful and
pearly-white, extra long and neat.
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