GOPALGANJ, Nov 19: Farmers of Gopalganj Sadar upazila have started harvesting T-Aman paddy this season.
Farmer Amirul Sheikh of Nilokhi village of Durgapur union said he cultivated Aman paddy on two acres of land this season spending Tk 32,000. "I expect to get around 80 maunds of paddy, market price of which is around Tk 50,000."
Another grower Belal Hawlader of Goshgati village under Borashi union said he cultivated T-Aman paddy on three acres of land this year. "I have already started harvesting the paddy. I expect about 120 maunds of paddy production, market price pf which is Tk 72,000."
According to Sadar upazila agriculture office sources said, a total of 8,500 hectares of land have been brought under T-Aman farming this year with the production target of 26,435 tonnes.
Around 35,500 farmers cultivated Aman paddy in the district this season.
Sadar upazila agriculture officer Sekender Sheikh said growers are getting a good Aman yield this season.
High production will encourage the growers to expand the paddy cultivation next years, he added.
Meanwhile, UNB report adds: In Netrakona, After huge losses in the last season due to sharp fall in rice price and damage due to recent floods, farmers here have started dreaming of having bumper T-Aman production this year, thanks to the favourable weather.
The farmers are expecting a very good yield as they have already exceeded the cultivation target.
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) targeted T-Aman cultivation on 0.12 million hectares of land this year in 10 upazilas of the district but it was cultivated on 0.13 million hectares, which means an additional 6,000 hectares of land were brought under cultivation.
Md Habinur Rahman, deputy director of Netrakona DAE, said the cultivation target has already exceeded in Sadar, Barhatta, Atpata, Kendua, Purbadhala, Khaliazuri, Mohanganj, Madan, Kalmakanda, and Durgapur upazilas.
Rahman said commercial banks, especially the Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB), has provided soft loan to the farmers.
Golam Mustafa, a model farmer of Mongalshidhya village in Atpara upazila, said the famers are now delighted with the hope of bumper T-Aman production.
DAE officials said despite the damages by floods this year, the farmers have successfully overcome the situation and now waiting for the outputs.
Some farmers of Durgapur and Kalmakanda bordering and hilly areas said T-Aman plants grew well following the recent rainfall after a temporary draught-like situation here.
Motior Rahman, 35, a farmer of Bausam village in Kalmakanda upazila, said he did not face any trouble when he was planting T-Aman seedlings this year.
The BKB and other commercial banks, including NGOs, provided short-term loans to the farmers to cultivate paddy, he said.