RANGPUR, Jan 22: The peasants of Rangpur agriculture region are passing busy time in transplanting Boro paddy seedlings across the region this season.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said the farmers have prepared Boro seedbeds on around 28,100 hectares of land in five districts of the region. The districts are Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari and Gaibandha.
According to sources at the beginning of seedbed preparing season farmers had faced difficulty in collecting quality seeds of Boro due to short supply by BADC.
But eventually they managed to collect Boro seeds from other sources including private companies and thus were able to overcome the adverse situation.
Sources also said that seedbeds in different areas have grown well as favourable weather has been prevailing in the region. Boro seedbeds across the region were not affected by intense cold and dense fog this year, sources said.
The paddy cultivators have already transplanted Boro seedlings on more than 15,000 hectares of land and it is expected to get further momentum one week later, sources informed.
Besides, transplantation of seedling in the low-lying lands, beels, haors areas have almost been completed.
Helal Mia, a farmer of Nabdiganj village at Pirgachha upazila in Rangpur district told FE that last year he cultivated Boro on two acres of land and got plenteous yield.
This year he is also optimistic of achieving good yield of the crop as so far the growers are not facing any adverse situation. He has already completed 50 per cent transplantation of seedlings, he further said.
DAE Rangpur official sources said, massive steps have been taken by the DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities in order to make the programme a success, sources added.
