The government is prioritising the cultivation of high-yielding paddy as occasional floods threaten the crop in haor areas, said Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque on Sunday.
"Adequate amount of paddy is collected from haor areas every year which is very essential for food safety but sometimes floods destroy them. We're working to reduce the risks and prioritising cultivation of the high-yielding variety," said he at a Boro paddy collection programme in Shadhor haor of Mithamoin in Kishoreganj.
The government is prioritising paddy varieties that can be harvested 15-20 days earlier than the regular varieties. Combined harvesters and reapers are being provided there urgently considering the shortage of workers, said the minister.
“In the haor areas, paddy is cultivated once a year. Production should be boosted”, said Razzaque, adding that scientists have already invented high yielding paddy BRRI Dhan 89, 92.
Farmers will be provided high-yielding varieties, he said urging their cultivation.
The work of installing regional Rice Research Institutes is underway for further research to invent more paddy species suitable for haor areas, he said.
This year, Boro paddy is being cultivated on 1,66,950 hectares in Kishoreganj. Among them, 1,02,500 hectares are in haor areas.
So far 53 per cent and 39 per cent paddy from haor and outside have been collected in the district. The government targets to produce 7,11,580 metric tonnes of paddy from Kishoreganj.
