SYLHET, Dec 02: In a bid to expanding maize cultivation in the Sylhet region, 200 demonstration plots of hybrid variety of the crop are being set in four selected upazilas.
An official of a special project named 'Raising crop intensity in Sylhet division' of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Md Forhad Mia informed this recently.
Under the programme, as many as 50 demonstration plots would be set up in each of Golapganj and Gowainghat upazilas of Sylhet and Nabiganj and Madhabpur upazilas under Habiganj district, he said.
One farmer is being given 3.0 kgs of hybrid maize seeds, 50 kg of Urea, 40 kg Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), 30 kg of Muriate of Potash (MOP), 20 kg of Gypsum, 4.0 kg of magnesium, 1.0 kg of Boron and 2.0 kg of Zinc.
Besides, the farmers will be provided cost for weeding one bigha of land.
The official further said Tk 1.52 million is the budget for setting up the plots.
Upazila agriculture officials of DAE are distributing all the inputs among the farmers.
The incentive distribution started in Golapganj upazila through a programme in presence of the selected farmers recently, said upazila agriculture officer Sylhet Khairul Amin.
However, due to lack of interest among farmers of this region coupled with absence of marketing of the produce, the maize farming had been albeit behind years ago.
But with the raise of maize's demand for various reasons all over, it is almost over by now while a marketing chain is established, the DAE officials said.
Over 500 hectares of land were used for the crop in this region last year while the per hectare yield stood at 7.5 tonnes.
