RAJSHAHI, Jan 2, 2021(BSS)- Farmers and agricultural extension officials along with the scientists concerned are expecting a bumper yield of mustard in the division due to favourable weather conditions and timely supply of necessary agri-inputs
At present, farming fields of the cash crop have become yellowish as well as eye-catching look in the division including its vast Barind tract signaling a good yield.
Most of the lands are covered with a number of high yielding varieties developed by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), including BARI Sharisha-9, BARI Sharisha-11, BARI Sharisha-13, BARI Sharisha-16 and BARI Sharisha-17.
Around 2.81 lakh tonnes of mustard yield are expected to be harvested from around two lakh hectares of lands in all eight districts under Rajshahi division during the current Rabi season.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)’s different initiatives and favorable climate conditions in the region during this Rabi season becomes a boon for mustard plants to grow well, predicting bumper productions.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has set a target of producing 1.11 lakh tonnes of mustard from 78,300 hectares of land in four districts of Rajshahi Agricultural Zone while another 1.70 lakh tonnes from 1.20 lakh hectares of land in four other districts of Bogura Agricultural Zone.
Sirajul Islam, Additional Director of DAE, said 60,000 farmers were given seeds and fertilizers free of cost for cultivating mustard in the division under the government’s agriculture incentive programme.
In addition to the DAE, various other research and development organizations like BARI and many NGOs have taken adequate steps in collaboration with other departments this season to achieve the fixed production targets.
The landless and marginal farmers have also brought vast tracts of the sandy char lands under mustard cultivation this time in the Ganges basins and the crops are growing excellent everywhere in the region.
Abdul Mazid, 35, of Nandigram village under Durgapur Upazila, said he had cultivated mustard seed on two bigha of land last year and got yield of six mounds per bigha.
He has brought three bighas of land under the cash crop farming this season and is expecting good yield. He is hopeful to get bumper production of mustard. Harvest will begin next month.
Mazid said the easy cultivation process and lower production cost compared to other Rabi crops is also a reason behind the popularity of mustard cultivation among the farmers in the region.
Rashidul Hassan, 45, another farmer of Kakonhat village, has become successful through cultivating the cash crop for the last couple of years. This year, he cultivated the crop on four bighas of land.
The cultivation of mustard requires only one or two times irrigation while about Tk 1,900 to Tk 2,000 is needed to cultivate the crop on one bigha depending on soil condition.
On an average six maunds of mustard is produced on a bigha of land, Hassan said.
Meanwhile, DASCOH Foundation, an NGO, under its Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) Project has been working for promoting various less-water consuming crops like mustard, said Jahangir Alam Khan, Coordinator of the project.
He said mustard seed is a water-saving crop and its expansion in the Barind area is very important towards lessening the gradually mounting pressure on its underground water.