Cultivation of maize is increasing in the district thanks to favourable climactic condition, fair price of the crop and appropriate initiative by the local agriculture offices.
Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said 7,145 hectares of land have been brought under maize cultivation in all eleven upazilas of the district this season.
The year-was break-up of the land cultivated is as follows: 6,860 hectares in 2019, 6,220 hectares in 2018, 4,500 hectares in 2017 and 3,300 hectares in 2016.
Several thousand farmers received maize seeds as incentives from upazila agriculture offices at the beginning of the season, the sources added.
One Rezaul Karim of Biproboalia village in Atrai upazila said he brought his one acre land under maize cultivation this season.
"My maize plants have started to get mature and they will be filled with blossoms soon", he said.
Grower Sonatan Pramanik of the upazila's Krishnapur village cultivated maize on 33 decimals of land in the current Rabi season.
He said maize is an ideal crop to cultivate with less irrigation and fertiliser.
"As per my last year's experience, I am expecting to sell the produce after harvest at up to Tk 800-900 per maund," he added.
Sirajul Islam, deputy director of Naogaon DAE, said, "We are encouraging the farmers to cultivate the crop which require less irrigation."
"Our upazila level offices are working on this through popularising the farming of maize, wheat, yam etc among peasants," he added.
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