RANGPUR, Aug 21, 2019 (BSS) – A record quantity of over 11.23-lakh tonnes of maize was produced this year during the Rabi and just-ended Kharip-1 seasons in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region.
The farmers produced over 9.23-lakh tonnes of maize during the Rabi season and more than two-lakh tonnes of the crop during this Kharip-1 season exceeding the fixed production target of producing over 9.14-lakh tonnes fixed for both seasons.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials said
the achieved maize output is higher by 2.09-lakh tonnes or 22.87 percent than the fixed production target during both seasons this year in the region.
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its regional office Khondker Md.
Mesbahul Islam said maize cultivation has been increasing every year on the
main land as well as char areas following huge demand, repeated bumper output
and lucrative market price.
Many farmers and char families have changed fortune and attained self-
reliance by cutting poverty through cultivation of maize in Rangpur,
Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts of the region in
last ten years.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional Office Md. Moniruzzaman said the
government is extending assistance to farmers for expanding cultivation of
lees irrigation water consuming maize crop that helps farmers to cut poverty
and improve livelihoods.
For example, the government distributed seed and fertilisers as cost-free
incentives to 1,650 small and marginal farmers of Rangpur region to assist
them in cultivating maize on two bighas of land each for boosting its output
during the last Rabi season.
“As a result, farmers in the mainland and char people are increasing maize
cultivation on the main and char lands and dried-up riverbeds after getting
repeated bumper production with lucrative price in the region,” Islam said.
District Marketing Officer for Rangpur Agriculturist ASM Hassan Sarwar told
BSS that maize is currently being sold at rates between taka 660 and Taka 700
per mound (40-kg) in the local markets.
“The farmers are reaping better profits following huge demand of maize in
the poultry feed and animal feed industries as the poultry, animal husbandry
and diary sectors are booming across the country,” Sarwar added.
Talking to BSS, farmers Abdul Alim, Moksed Ali of Kawnia upazila in Rangpur
and char people Azgar Hossain and Mahtab Uddin of Aditmari upazila in
Lalmonirhat said they got bumper maize output during both Rabi and Kharip-1
seasons this year.
Thanking the government for giving seed and fertilisers as cost-free
incentives, they expressed satisfaction over lucrative market price between
Taka 670 and 700 per mound of maize round the year this time.
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Muhammad Ali said the
government is providing assistance, trainings, incentives and supports to
farmers for expanding maize cultivation both on the mainland and char areas
to boost its output.
Talking to BSS, Agriculturist Dr. M A Mazid, who got Independence Medal (in
food security category) last year, said there are enormous potentialities to
further increase maize output by bringing vast tracts of abandoned char lands
in the northern region.
“Maize cultivation is more profitable than many other crops,” he said
suggesting farmers to increase its cultivation using latest conservation
agriculture technologies like strip tillage to get better yield at reduced
costs.