ZCZC
BSS-02
WHEAT-HARVEST-RAJSHAHI (with picture)
High yielding varieties boost wheat production in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI, April 8, 2019 (BSS)- Farmers are now on the final stage of
harvesting their cultivated wheat with satisfactory yield in the region
including its vast Barind tract thanks to the newly developed high yielding
varieties and technological supports.
“Eighty-five percent wheat has already been harvested and the rests are
expected to complete by this week-end,” said Dev Dulal Dhali, Additional
Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), while talking to BSS
here today.
He said most of the farmers are satisfied with this season’s wheat yield
as they cultivated high yielding varieties developed by Bangladesh
Agriculture Research Institute (BARI).
Agriculturist Dhali said the developed varieties particularly the BARI GOM
28, 30, 32 and 33 are not only resistant to many threats and menaces like
drought, blast like disease and weed but also high yielding. So, the
varieties have become popular among the farmers.
After taking advantages and opportunities given by the DAE and BARI the
farmers are seen increasing the acreage of wheat farming as its demand is
gradually mounting with rising of population.
DAE had set a target to cultivate wheat on 1,33,753 hectares of land but
the farmers cultivated on 1,37,308 hectares in eight districts under Rajshahi
division amidst rising their interests to wheat farming creating scope of
producing 4.51 lakh metric tons of the cereal crop, which is 11,681 metric
tons higher than the production target.
Arshad Ali, 52, a farmer of Baduria village under Charghat Upazila, has
brought 10 bigha of land under wheat farming this year. He got 18 mounds
yield per bigha on an average.
Side by side with his own farming he provides power tiller operated
machinery services to more than 250 farmers in wheat farming on 400 bigha of
lands and earned Taka 500 from per bigha of land as service charge.
Talking to BSS Ali said use of machinery in wheat farming is gradually
increasing in the region as it contributes to boosting yield.
Sabbir Ahmed, 38, another farmer of Bijoynagar area under Godagari
Upazila, said wheat farming is gradually increasing in the area as it’s a
less-irrigation consuming crop.
Dr Ilias Hossain, principal scientific officer of Regional Wheat and Maize
Research Center, said farmers of the Barind area were found more confident in
wheat farming on more new lands, due to the water-stress condition, as wheat
is a less-water consuming plant.
“We are expanding the developed varieties among the farmers through
training, block demonstration and providing inputs in the region,” he said
adding that BARI GOM 33 is a zinc-fortified breed.
The variety has been developed to meet the necessary requirement of
micronutrient for a human body coupled with ensuring food security. It
contained zinc and protein which will ensure high nutrition and will play a
significant role in prevention of diseases.
Zinc also played a vital role in prevention of liver-related diseases.
Zinc, iron and vitamin-A are the three most vital micronutrients, deficiency
of which hampers children’s natural growth and decrease their disease
prevention capacity.
Ittefaqul Azad, retired deputy director of DAE, said wide-range promotion
of the newly innovated variety could help increase wheat yield.
Wheat plays an important role in ensuring food security as its consumption
is increasing day by day. But, Bangladesh produces hardly 10 lakh metric
tonnes of wheat against the demand of around 40 lakh tonnes annually, he
stated.
Agriculturist Azad, however, said that Rajshahi division contributes 35
percent of the total area and 44 percent of the total production. Not only
that, there are around 50,000 hectares of more rain fed land in the high
Barind area and there has been a bright prospect of bringing the huge land
under wheat cultivation.
BSS/SPL/AH/SA/ 1030 HRS