RANGPUR, April 4, 2021 (BSS) – An all-time record Boro rice production
is likely in Rangpur agriculture region where farmers have exceeded the fixed
farming target for the crop following various effective steps taken by the
government this season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said tender
Boro rice plants are growing excellent now giving an eye-catching greener
look to crop fields amid favourable climatic conditions predicting a super
bumper rice output in the region.
The DAE has fixed a target of producing 21.54 lakh tonnes of clean Boro
rice (32.31 lakh tonnes of paddy) from 4.96 lakh hectares of land during the
current Rabi season for all five districts in Rangpur agriculture region.
“Braving the coronavirus pandemic, farmers have finally cultivated Boro
rice on 5.03 lakh hectares of land, 1.21 percent higher than the fixed
farming target,” said Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region
Agriculturist Khandker Abdul Wahed.
Getting requisite assistance from the government under the post-flood
agriculture rehabilitation programme, flood-hit farmers have brought more
lands under Boro rice cultivation to recoup the crop losses they incurred
during the last year’s floods.
“If the climatic conditions would remain favourable during the next
couple of months, farmers will get a super bumper production of Boro rice as
tender rice plants are growing superbly across the region now,” Wahed said.
To make the intensive Boro rice farming programme a success, the DAE and
other related organisations are working relentlessly to ensure smooth
irrigation, supply of fuels, fertilisers and electricity and other facilities
to farmers this season.
To enhance Boro rice yield at lower costs reducing lifting of
underground water in the region, a target has been fixed to bring one-lakh
hectares of land under Boro rice farming adopting the Alternate Wetting and
Drying (AWD) irrigation method this season.
“Besides, targets have been fixed to bring 47,432 hectares of land under
use of compost fertilisers, 2.84 lakh hectares under use of balanced
fertilisers and 5.03 lakh hectares under preaching method this season in the
region,” Wahed added.
In the perching method, farmers set up bamboo poles or branches of trees
at regular intervals in Boro rice fields so that birds can alight or roost on
those and eat harmful insects on rice plants helping farmers combating pests’
attacks naturally.
In light trap natural pest management method, farmers put pots filled
with a mixture of water and detergent under a source of light on Boro rice
fields. Being attracted by the reflection of light at night, harmful insects
fall into the pots and consequently die.
Talking to BSS, farmer Ariful Haque of village Najirdigar in Rangpur
Sadar upazila said farmers are working with utmost dedication understanding
that the government has given priority on achieving self- reliance on
production of rice and other food grains.
He thanked the government for ensuring smooth supply of fertilisers,
pesticides, diesel, power and irrigation and other necessary inputs and
facilities to farmers for making the Boro rice farming programme successful.
Farmer Mofizar Rahman of Taraganj upazila in Rangpur said Boro rice
plants, now in flowering stage, are growing superbly on crop fields
predicting a bumper production of the crop.