RANGPUR, Feb 26, 2020 (BSS) – The enthusiastic farmers are expecting an all-time record production of maize after exceeding its fixed farming target in Rangpur agriculture region during the current Rabi season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said tender maize plants are growing fabulously predicting bumper production of the less irrigation water consuming crop having huge demand in local markets.
Talking to BSS, Deputy Director of DAE at its regional office
Agriculturist Md. Moniruzzaman said farmers have brought 99,725 hectares of
land under maize cultivation exceeding the fixed farming target by 0.09
percent in the region.
“The DAE has fixed a target of producing 10.12-lakh tonnes of maize from
99,636 hectares of land for all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha,
Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat in the region this season,” he said.
During the last season, farmers achieved a record production of 9.23-
lakh tonnes of maize by cultivating the crop on 92,445 hectares exceeding the
fixed farming target by 9,253 hectares of land in the region.
“The overall maize output may exceed last year’s production as farmers
have cultivated the crop on 99,725 hectares of land this time, higher by
7,280 hectares than the cultivated land area of 92,445 hectares of land last
season,” he said.
The expanding maize cultivation on both mainland and vast tracts of the
sandy char areas is also contributing to cutting poverty helping small and
marginal farmers, landless char and riverside people in improving
livelihoods.
“The government provided incentives, high yielding varieties of maize
seeds and inputs to landless, small and marginal farmers, especially in char
areas, to further enhance maize cultivation this season in the region,”
Moniruzzaman added.
Deputy Director of DAE for Rangpur Dr. Md. Sarwarul Haque maize farming
continues expanding on the mainland and vast tracts of abandoned and barren
char lands in recent times.
“The char and riverside people have cultivated maize on vast tracts of
char lands in the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Jamuna, Dudhkumar, Atrai,
Kartoa, Ghaghot and other riverine this season like in the previous years,”
he added.
Talking to BSS, Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS
Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said maize farming on the mainland
and char areas has been proved to be more profitable than cultivation of many
other crops.
“Getting necessary assistance and latest technologies from the DAE and
different NGOs, farmers are cultivating maize using latest agricultural
technologies at reduced costs to better output and lucrative market price,”
he added.
Farmers Abdul Hakim, Nurul Alam and Mohir Uddin of different villages in
Rangpur said they are expecting a bumper maize production as tender plants
are growing excellent on their crop lands.
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad
Ali predicted a bumper maize production as farmers have exceeded its fixed
cultivation target and tender plants are growling superbly amid favourable
climatic conditions.