Netrakona farmers see bumper Aman yield

Farmers and crops specialists are expecting bumper production of transplanted Aman (T-Aman) rice in Netrakona as the cultivation target of the variety has been exceeded during the Kharip-2 season.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources said a target was fixed to produce 3.49 lakh tonnes of T-Aman from 1, 30,760 hectares of land. But, the cultivators could bring 1, 32,580 hectares of land under the T- Aman cultivation exceeding the Aman rice cultivation target.

Of the total cultivated land, 5,850 hectares were brought under hybrid variety of T-Aman rice, 1,09,625 hectares under high yielding variety (HYV) of the crop and 17,105 hectares of land under local variety.

Meanwhile, the tender green plants of T-Aman paddy have grown bumper amid favourable weather condition.

Deputy Director of the DAE Netrakona FM Mubarak Ali said, it has been possible by the farmers to exceed the T-Aman rice cultivation target as the government implemented many farmers-friendly programmes, including incentives and subsidy giving programmes and agriculture rehabilitation programs to assist them.

Under the incentive giving programme and agriculture rehabilitation programme, the government distributed 27.9 tonnes of improved quality Aman seeds, 61 tonnes of DAP fertiliser, 49 tonnes of MOP fertiliser among the 6,300 small and marginal Aman cultivators of the district at free of cost to help them to run their Aman cultivation network properly.

Besides, following directives of the government, different state-run agencies including BADC and BCIC ensured proper distribution of improved quality seeds, fertilisers and other irrigation and agricultural equipment at the door-steps of the farmers, he said.

Different state-run commercial banks including Bangladesh Krishi Bank also distributed Aman crop loan to the Aman cultivators to make them capable to continue their Aman rice cultivation network properly without any financial crisis, he informed.