Tangail, Dec 30: The mustard cultivation has exceeded its target by 5,000 hectares of land in Tangail.
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the growers here are expecting a bumper mustard production during this current season.
Good yield and its fair price during last several years have encouraged the farmers to cultivate mustard on more lands in 12 upazilas of the district. Easy cultivation procedure and lower production costs have also encouraged the farmers to cultivate mustard on a large scale, DAE sources said.
They said the DAE set a target of bringing 45,700 hectares of land under mustard cultivation in the current year with a production target of 54,840 tonnes.
But the growers of the district brought a total of 50,488 hectares of land under mustard cultivation, official sources said.
Of the total, 6,225 hectares of land were brought under mustard cultivation in Sadar upazila while 5,395 hectares in Bashail, 2,990 hectares in Ghatail, 2,178 hectares in Shakhipur, 2,130 in Bhuapur, 3,950 hectares in Gopalpur, 10,185 hectares in Mirzapur, 3,600 in Kalihati, 2,785 hectares in Delduar, 10,020 hectares in Nagarpur, 600 hectares in Modhupur and 430 hectares in Dhanbari upazila.
Among different varieties of mustard, local growers cultivated Tori-7, Bari-14, and Bari-15. Few local varieties including 'rai sarisha' have also been cultivated, DAE source said.
Now the farmers are busy nurturing mustard fields as per directions of field-level sub-assistant agriculture officials to get desired production against the crop.
This correspondent saw that crops are now growing well everywhere in the district and growers expecting a good yield this season.
Fazlur Rahman (40), a farmer who lives in Mamudpur under Delduar upazila of the district, said he has benefited from mustard cultivation along with other crops on his own land.
Sub-assistant agriculture officer Nargis Akhtar said the farmers of the district had been showing more interest to cultivate mustard in recent years after getting bumper production and better crop prices.
DAE office also said favourable weather, proper distribution of high quality seed, timely supply of fertilizer and other agri inputs to the growers and less pest attacks on the field are the reasons behind expected bumper output.
Meanwhile, BSS from Jamalpur adds: the mustard cultivation exceeded its target during the current Rabi season in all the seven upazilas of the
district.
As the favourable climatic condition is prevailing in the district, the cultivators are expecting an excellent production of the crops in the areas
Good production of mustard and its fair prices have been encouraging the farmers to spread its cultivation during the last several years.
Easy cultivation and harvesting process and lower production cost is also a reason behind the popularity of mustard cultivation in the areas, Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources said. Deputy Director of DAE Nitai Chandra Banik said implementation of various incentive programmes and favourable weather have increased mustard cultivation this year.
The agriculture department disbursed incentive among 15,000 small and marginal farmers for increasing mustard production in the district. Under the incentive programme the department disbursed 15 tonnes mustard seed and 300 tonnes fertiliser among the farmers, he said.
According to the DAE office, a total of 31,806 tonnes of mustard is expected to be produced this year from 23,560 hectares of land in the district.
This year farmers brought 1,060 hectares more land under mustard cultivation against the fixed target.
Farmers cultivated mustard on 6200 hectares of land in Jamalpur Sadar upazila, 4930 hectares in Islampur, 3750 hectares in Sarishabari, 3850 hectares in Melandah, 2720 hectares in Bakshiganj, 1200 hectares in Dewanganj and 910 hectares of land in Madarganj upazila.