Home ›› 07 Apr 2022 ›› Front
The production of Aman rice reached 162.69 lakh tonnes in the FY2021-22, showing excellent performance by surpassing the Department of Agricultural Extension’s (DAE) target of 150.46 lakh tonnes set for the year.
Though the latest DAE data indicates that the country has exceeded its Aman production target by around 12 lakh tonnes, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics – sole authority for collecting and disseminating statistical data – is yet to recognise this information.
Bangladesh’s Aman production has been steadily increasing along with this crop’s per hectare yield since the past couple of years.
The country produced 144 lakh tonnes of Aman in FY21, an increase from 142 lakh tonnes in FY20. In two years between FY20 and FY22, the crop’s production rose by 20.66 lakh tonnes or 14.54 per cent.
The amount of land where Aman is cultivated also increased from 55.60 lakh hectares in FY20 to 59.03 lakh hectares in FY22, an increase of 6.16 per cent. Per hectare yield of Aman also increased by 14.54 per cent during this period.
Commenting on the matter, Krishi Gobeshona Foundation’s Executive Director Jiban Krishna Biswas said, “If we can further increase the per hectare yield of Aman by 1 tonne, there will be no need for worries regarding rice in the future.
“It is possible to increase per hectare yield by 1 tonne with the collective effort of researchers, field officers and farmers, where good management is the key.”
He continued, “Every variety is not suitable for corners of the country. Farmers need to ask the field officers about the variety that is suitable for their land, and full details regarding the usage of fertilisers and pesticides.
“Field officers need to reach out to the farmers at their doorstep, and in the meantime, researchers should work on developing high-yield varieties.”
Hybrid varieties helped production jump
Per hectare yield of Aman reached to 2.75 tonnes in FY22, compared to 2.55 tonnes in FY20.
Insiders say the hybrid varieties of Aman played a vital role in boosting the crop’s yield. DAE data shows that the amount of land where hybrid varieties of Aman is cultivated increased from 1.95 lakh hectare in FY20 to 2.96 lakh hectare in FY22, a 51.79 per cent rise.
Hybrid Aman production was 7.21 lakh tonnes in FY20, which rose to 11.19 lakh tonnes in FY22. Besides, hybrid varieties achieved 3.77 tonnes of yield per hectare, while high yielding varieties (HYV) achieved only 2.95 tonnes of yield per hectare.
Local varieties are still occupying a big stake in Aman production though its productivity is comparatively low. Local varieties – cultivated on 7.05 lakh hectares of land – achieved 1.66 tonnes of yield per hectare.
In FY20, local varieties were cultivated on 8.38 lakh hectares of land.
Boro cultivation could decline
The amount of land where Boro is cultivated could decrease due to this crop’s high irrigation cost and available alternatives in the same season.
Md Saiful Islam, head of Agricultural Economic Division at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BARI), said, “Boro is mainly cultivated in low-lying regions, especially Dhaka, its neighboring districts, and Haor areas.
“Industrialisation will take away land that is being used for Boro cultivation. Besides, Boro cultivation depends on rice prices in the market. If the price falls, farmers will lean towards other economic crops such as vegetables and maize.”
Adding that Aman has no other viable alternatives in its season, Saiful said, “Though Aman productivity is low, it is more profitable than Boro as Aman needs no or very little irrigation. Natural rain is enough for Aman, while Boro is completely dependent on irrigation.
“So farmers can make profits with Aman due to the low cultivation costs despite low productivity.”
In FY20, Bangladesh used 47.62 lakh hectares of land for Boro cultivation, while production was 196.45 lakh tonnes with 4.12 tonnes of yield per hectare. The amount of land where Boro is cultivated increased to 49.63 lakh tonnes in FY22, though harvest is yet to start.
The country produced 198.85 lakh tonnes of Boro on 47.87 lakh hectares of land in FY21, with a per hectare yield of 4.5 tonnes.
To save groundwater, the expansion of Boro cultivation will not be a wise decision, said Jiban Krishna Biswas, adding, “Some Boro land can be used to cultivate pulses and other crops including vegetables.
“However, rice production must be boosted by increasing productivity.”
