RAJSHAHI, Aug 20, 2020 (BSS) – Aman paddy seedlings transplantation in Rajshahi is in the final stage as most of the farmers already completed their transplantation activities amidst suitable climate conditions with frequent rainfall, sources said.
Farmers are now very much pleased with the present lucrative market price for the latest harvested Boro paddy in the entire region including its vast Barind tract.
After getting the profitable price of their paddy they are seen bustling with farming of transplanted aman paddy with more attention.
Nurul Islam, 48, a farmer of Puthiya area, has cultivated aman paddy on five bigha of land saying many of his co-villagers are seen humming towards aman paddy farming as they got good price of boro paddy.
Another farmer Ashraful Islam, 37, of Gollapara village under Tanore Upazila, said he has cultivated aman paddy on six bigha of land after the best uses of rainfall that saved him from extra cost for irrigation.
The appropriate timeframe of the paddy seedlings transplantation is up to August 20 while only its late varieties, developed by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), could be transplanted by end of this month, said Dr Aminul Islam, Chief Scientific Officer of BRRI, here today.
“Timely transplantation of aman paddy seedlings is very important for healthy growth leading to optimum yield in the area,” he said.
He said some of the farmers are expecting transplantation of seedlings after harvesting of Aush paddy and receding the existing floodwater. “We have some late varieties for them,” Dr Islam added.
He said BRRI has developed seven modern paddy varieties for Aman season creating high hope among the farmers in general in the region.
The varieties like Brridhan 56, Brridhan 66, Brridhan71, Brridhan75, Brridhan80, Brridhan87 and Brridhan90 are comparatively high yielding, drought tolerant and takes short time to get matured than local variety ‘Swarna’ which is prone to various diseases, he continued.
Dr Islam said farmers have been encouraged to cultivate the latest varieties through various interventions including block demonstration, plots projection and supplying of seed free of cost.
He also said the modern varieties have opened up doors in enormous prospects of food security along with mitigating the crises of irrigation water.
Meanwhile, farmers are passing their busiest times in nursing their transplanted aman paddy which have taken a greenish look.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has set a target of producing more than 20.19 lakh metric tons of transplanted aman rice from 7.67 lakh hectares of land in all eight districts under Rajshahi division this season.
The DAE has fixed the target of harvesting around 21 lakh tonnes of high yielding varieties of rice from around 7.09 lakh hectares of land, 71,401 tonnes of local varieties from 46,095 hectares and 48,203 tonnes of hybrid varieties from 11,712 hectares of land.
Sudhendra Nath Roy, Additional Director of DAE, said suitable weather is helping the farmers’ nurse transplanted Aman seedlings this season and the fixed target is expected to be achieved.
Till Wednesday, the farmers have completed the transplantation works on 6.15 lakh hectares of land, he added.
Special measures were adopted for boosting seedling production of transplanted Aman paddy through alternative ways aimed at recouping the losses caused by flood in Rajshahi region.
“We’ve developed community seedbeds and floating seedbeds besides growing seed on trays in the flood affected areas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Natore districts,” said Sudhen Roy.
Community seedbed of troubled time Aman paddy has already been developed on 6.20 acres of land in Rajshahi and Naogaon districts through using four high yielding varieties with close supervision and monitoring by the DAE officials.
“We’ve used 150 kilograms (Kg) of Brri Dhan 34, 150-kg of BINA7, 600-kg of Chiniatab and 1,500-kg of BR22 for the community seedbed purposes,” said Sudhen Roy.
200 floating seedbeds of BR-23 variety were erected with 144-kg of seeds in Rajshahi and Natore districts.
Apart from this, 380 seedbeds on trays with 22-kg seeds of Brridhan71 and 32-kg seeds of BINA7 varieties were erected in Rajshahi.