RAJSHAHI, Aug 30: Nearly 14,000 hectares of more land has been brought under Aman paddy cultivation than the target in the district during the current season.
Due to favourable climatic condition, the target of Aman paddy cultivation surpassed this year. Farmers of the district were now busy in taking care of the saplings of Aman paddy in their field. If such favourable climatic condition prevails, farmers were hoping for a bumper production of the crop.
Farmers in the district informed, though the region faced a drought like condition during the planting season, there were sufficient and adequate rainfall later on which helped a smooth growth of Aman plant.
Now, farmers were busy taking care of their fields including eradication of herbs, spraying of insecticides and using of fertilisers. The price of paddy being satisfactory, more farmers cultivated paddy this season and thus surpassing the target by some 14,000 hectares.
Zaidur Rahman, a farmer of Karnahar village under Paba upazila informed, he has cultivated Aman on 35 bigha of land. The price of paddy being satisfactory this year, many farmers of the area have increased the amount of Aman cultivation.
Moreover, so far there was no natural catastrophes and due to sufficient rainfall, there was no need to irrigate in the field. However, he said, due to crisis of farm hands, the cost of Aman cultivation may increase this year.
Agriculturist Monjure Maula informed, due to getting a satisfactory price of Aman paddy, the target of cultivation of Aman has been surpassed the target this season.
According to a source of Agriculture Extension department of Rajshahi, the target of Aman cultivation has been fixed to 71,750 hectares whereas actually the paddy was cultivated in 73,750 hectares of land in the district this season.
Even last year, the actual cultivation covered 73,887 hectares as against the target of 70,224 hectares. Due to favourable climatic condition, the target of cultivation of the paddy has been surpassed, the sources informed.
Our Bogura correspondent adds: Bumper T-Aman paddy production is likely in all the 12 upazilas of the district this season.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and cultivators are expecting to produce over 0.9 million tonnes of production this season.
Sources said Aman cultivators are now busy taking care of their paddy field. Some peasants have started using shallow and deep tubewells to irrigate their land properly.
Peasants completed transplanting seedlings in their fields last month, sources added.
The Bangladesh Agricultural Department Corporation (BADC) supplied quality seed among the growers to achieve a good yield, said sub-assistance agriculture officer of DAE Fardiur Rahman.
Most of the Aman farmers are applying modern methods on their paddy field. DAE officials help them use pesticide and fertilisers properly.
Deputy Director of DAE Protul Chandra Sarker said, “We have provided all sort of necessary agri-inputs among the farmers this season to make the cultivation programme a success.”