ZCZC
BSS-04
AMAN-TRANSPLANTATION-RAJSHAHI (with picture)
Rajshahi DAE fixes 9.03-lakh tons aman rice production target
RAJSHAHI, Aug 13, 2018 (BSS) – The Department of Agriculture Extension
(DAE) here has set a target of producing around 9.03-lakh tons of
transplanted aman rice in the region including its vast Barind tract during
the current season.
Additional Director of DAE SM Mustafizur Rahman told BSS today that the
rice is expected to be produced from around 3.38-lakh hectares of land in the
districts of Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabgonj and Natore.
The enthusiastic farmers are now very busy transplanting T-Aman seedlings
everywhere in the region amid suitable climate condition with frequent
rainfall.
Agriculturist Rahman said congenial weather is helping the farmers’
transplant Aman seedlings this season and the fixed target is expected to be
achieved.
He said DAE are providing all necessary assistances to farmers adding
seedlings transplantation on 2.85 lakh hectares was completed till Sunday
last.
Dr Tomal Lota Aditya, director (Research) of Bangladesh Rice Research
Institute (BRRI), said BRRI has, so far, developed 41 Aman varieties
including 39 inbreeds which are suitable for cultivation in the country.
“We have released seven drought tolerant varieties including one aromatic
for the Barind area,” she said, adding that some of those have gained
popularity among farmers during the last couple of years.
She also mentioned that the conventional Parija and Swarna varieties are
being replaced by some of the new varieties. DAE official Rahman said Barind
Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) is ready to provide supplementary
irrigation if required.
In addition, the farmers are keeping thousands of their shallow tube wells
ready for supplementary irrigation if any drought situation occurs during the
transplantation and farming period of the major cereal crop in the region, he
said.
The farmers have already prepared seedbeds on more than 19,184 hectares of
land in the region this time. Jaidur Rahman, a farmer of Karnahar village
under Paba Upazila, said he will cultivate aman paddy on around 35 bighas of
land and he completed transplantation on around 20 bighas.
They cultivate more than seven high yielding, two hybrid varieties during
the Aman season and more or less five of those are very much popular among
the farmers, said ATM Rafiqul Islam, Project Director of BMDA.
BSS/AH/GMR/1102 hrs