ZCZC
BSS-14
TARGET-BORO-RANGPUR (with picture)
Farmers exceed Boro rice farming target in Rangpur region
RANGPUR, March 19, 2019 (BSS) – The farmers have exceeded the fixed
farming target of Boro rice this season by 2.48 percent and engaged maximum
efforts now in taking care of the growing tender rice plants in Rangpur
agriculture region.
The farmers completed transplantation of Boro rice seedling last week on
their croplands in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram,
Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat in the region.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said they are
expecting a bumper production of Boro rice following excellent growth of the
tender rice plants amid favourable climatic conditions.
The DAE has fixed a target of producing 20.88-lakh tonnes of clean Boro
rice (31.32-lakh tonnes of paddy) from 4.97-lakh hectares of land in the
region this season.
“However, the farmers have cultivated Boro rice on 5.09-lakh hectares of
land, higher by 12,319 hectares or 2.48 percent than the fixed farming target
this season,” Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam
told BSS today.
To make the intensive Boro rice farming programme successful, the DAE
and other departments concerned have taken adequate steps to ensure smooth
irrigation, supply of fuels, fertilisers and electricity and other facilities
to the farmers.
“Meanwhile, 2.37-lakh irrigation pumps, including 2,810 deep tube-wells,
over 2.33-lakh shallow tube-wells, 570 low-lift pumps and 512 other pumps
have been put into operation for irrigating Boro rice fields in the region,”
Islam added.
Talking to BSS, farmer Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar in Sadar
upazila here said he has cultivated Boro rice on his 3.50 acres of land this
time using own electricity-run irrigation pump with technical assistance of
the DAE.
Ariful is expecting to spend Taka 3,000 per acre of his sandy land for
cultivating Boro rice using one electricity-run irrigation pump while other
nearby farmers generally spend up to Taka 10,000 per acre there using own
diesel-run shallow tube wells.
“The Rural Electrification Board supplies electricity to my irrigation
pump at Taka 3.82 per unit with 20 percent subsidy on total bills,” he said,
adding that his tender Boro rice plants are growing excellent now predicting
bumper output this season.
Farmer Abul Hossain of village Tahirpur in Mithapukur upazila said he
has cultivated Boro rice on his one acre of sandy-loamy land using irrigation
water being supplied from a deep tube well of Barind Multipurpose Development
Authority.
“I have to spend only Taka 2,100 per acre of land for cultivation of
Boro rice using irrigation water of the electricity-run deep tube well,” he
said and thanked the DAE and government for extending necessary assistance to
cultivate Boro rice successfully.
Talking to BSS, Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md.
Moniruzzaman said the agri-scientists, officials and experts are providing
latest technologies to the farmers for making the Boro rice farming programme
successful in the region.
“The comprehensive steps taken by the government has ensured smooth
irrigation, supply of fuels, fertilisers and electricity to the farmers to
achieve the Boro rice production target this season,” he said.
“The vast tracts of Boro rice crop fields have worn greenish look now as
tender rice plants are growing superbly predicting a bumper production of the
crop this season in Rangpur agriculture region,” Moniruzzaman added.
BSS/SPL/MI/FI/ 1540 hrs