GAIBANDHA, Dec 26, 2020(BSS)-Nature has got a yellow look here as huge mustard plants bloomed in all the crop fields of the district.
DAE Office sources said the farmers of the district farmed the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) developed varieties-BARI Sharisha-14, BARI Sharisha-15 and BARI Sharisha-17 during the current season with the production target of 13,600 tons of mustard.
A number of farmers have also cultivated the local varieties this season, office sources said.
The mustard plants grew well and it is in pod formation stage. The growers are expecting desired production against the crop this year due to favorable weather and for availability of seed, fertilizers, pesticides and other agri inputs at the farmers’ level.
To make mustard farming a grand success, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) also sold quality mustard seeds to the farmers through its dealers and selling centers of the district.
Rupom Miah, a farmer of Farazipara area under Kholahati union of Sadar upazila said he farmed the variety on seven bighas of land this year to recover the losses caused by repeated floods.
Most of the lands are covered with BARI developed varieties.
Depending on soil condition, the cultivation of mustard requires only one or two times irrigation while about Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000 is needed to cultivate the crop on a bigha.
On an average six maunds of mustard is produced from each bigha of land, the official said.
The field level DAE officials are trying to persuade the farmers to cultivate high-yielding varieties of mustard invented by BARI between the gaps of Aman and Boro to earn good profit.
Farmers of Sadar upazila said they are hopeful to get bumper production of mustard and the harvesting will begin this month.
Selim Hasan of Barobaldia village under Sadar upazila said, “I cultivated mustard on two bighas of land in the current season, spending Tk 2,500 and I expect to get at least 12 maunds. I will sell each maund for Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000.”
I cultivated mustard on my two bighas of land this season and I am expecting to get six maunds of produce from each bigha,” said Mizanur Rahman, a farmer of chapadaha village in the same upazila.
Deputy Director of DAE Masudur Rahman said they were motivating the farmers to cultivate the variety to get an additional crop with low production cost between the Aman and Boro season.
They were inspiring the farmers to produce the mustard oil instead of soybean oil to save the hard-earned foreign remittance, he concluded.