JASHORE, March 11, 2021 (BSS) – The government has fixed a production
target of 10.28 lakh tonnes of maize from about 92 thousand hectares of land
for six south-western districts of Jashore agriculture region during this
season.
The six districts are – Jashore, Jhenaidah, Magura, Kushtia, Chuadanga, and
Meherpur.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said, some
1,205 hectares of land were cultivated in Jashore district, 18,500 hectares
in Jhenidah, 360 hectares in Magura, 9,635 hectares in Kushtia, 46,575
hectares in Chuadanga and 15,715 hectares of land were cultivated in Meherpur
district.
DAE officials said farmers are showing more interest in maize farming
after getting its repeated bumper productions with excellent market price in
recent years as the crop has a huge demand in local markets.
“The government is distributing special agriculture incentives in terms of
seeds and fertilisers among small and marginal farmers to increase maize
production this season,” said DAE Jashore regional office Sub-Assistant
agriculture officer Md. Shariful Islam.
Getting necessary assistance and latest technologies from the DAE, farmers
are becoming inspired in cultivating maize on more land to enhance its
production and get lucrative market price, Md. Zahidul Amin, additional
director of Jashore regional DAE said.
“The expanding maize cultivation is largely contributing to cutting
poverty and helping small and marginal farmers, landless char and riverside
people in improving livelihoods,” Zahidul added. Talking to BSS, deputy
director of Jashore district DAE,Agriculturalist Badal Chandra Biswas,
stressed on expanding cultivation of the low-irrigation water consuming maize
crop to save huge underground water.