Home ›› 04 Nov 2021 ›› Nation
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has fixed a production target of 11,33,325 tonnes of maize from 1,04,045 hectares of land for Rangpur agriculture region during the current Rabi season.
Officials of the DAE said farmers produced 10.92 lakh tonnes of maize by cultivating the crop on 1,01,845 hectares of land in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat in the region during the last Rabi season.
“Farmers have already started sowing maize seeds after harvesting the short duration varieties of Aman rice across the division,” said Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Tauhidul Iqbal.
They have already brought over 2,000 hectares of land under maize cultivation till Tuesday in the region where sowing of its seeds continues.
He said farmers are showing keen interest in farming maize on both mainland and riverine char areas after getting its repeated bumper productions with lucrative market prices in recent years as the crop has huge demand in local markets.
Like in the previous seasons, char people are cultivating maize on the vast tracts of char lands on the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Jamuna, Dudhkumar, Kartoa, Ghaghot, Atrai and other riverine areas in Rangpur region this season.
“The government is distributing special agriculture incentives in terms of seeds and fertilisers free of cost among small and marginal farmers to increase maize production this season,” Iqbal said.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said expanded maize farming on both mainland and riverine char areas has become more gainful than cultivation of many other crops.
Getting assistance and latest technologies from the DAE, other agriculture related organisations and NGOs, farmers are becoming inspired in cultivating maize on more lands to enhance its production and get lucrative market price.
“The expanding maize cultivation is largely contributing to cut poverty and help small and marginal farmers, landless char and riverside people in improving their livelihoods braving the adverse impacts of climate change,” Rashid said.
Talking to BSS, farmers Echhahaq Ali, Arman Hossain, Mostafizur Rahman, Hamidur Rahman and Ariful Haque of different villages in Rangpur said they are sowing maize seeds on their crop lands after harvesting Aman rice.
Talking to BSS, Agriculturalist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got the Independence Medal-2018 (food security), stressed on expanding cultivation of the low-irrigation water consuming maize crop also to save huge underground water.
He suggested farmers adopt conservation agriculture-based technologies in maize cultivation to lessen the farming time and get maximum output by reducing farming cost across the whole northern region, including Rangpur agriculture region.
“Maize farming is highly profitable as the crop is largely being used as fodder of domestic animals and poultry birds in the boosting animal husbandry, poultry and food industries sectors, always increasing its demand in local markets,” Dr Mazid added.
