Home ›› 29 Dec 2021 ›› Nation
An increased quantity of mustard production in most of the districts across the country has made the farmers optimistic of getting bumper production during the current season.
According to Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) reports, the cultivation of mustard has been easier in many districts due to favourable weather conditions and timely supply of necessary agri-inputs.
When our correspondents visited several fields, they found blooming mustard fields, making the farmers hopeful. Bees and flies are tasting honey drenched in the shroud of morning dew.
Jamalpur Deputy Director of DAE Nitai Chandra Banik said implementation of various incentive programmes and favourable weather have increased mustard cultivation in in all the seven upazilas of the district.
Agriculture department disbursed incentive among 15,000 small and marginal farmers for increasing mustard production in the district. Under the incentive programme the department disbursed 15 tonnes mustard seed and 300 tonnes fertiliser among the farmers, he said.
According to the DAE office, a total of 31,806 tonnes of mustard is expected to be produced this year from 23,560 hectares of land in the district.
This year farmers brought 1,060 hectares more land under mustard cultivation against the fixed target.
The mustard cultivation exceeded its fixed target during the current Robi season in all the seven upazilas of Manikganj district.
Ala uddin, one of the mustard cultivators of Nabagram village under Manikganj Sadar upazila, said they cultivated mustard on their lands after harvesting the Aman paddy and they would cultivate their main crop Boro paddy on the same land after reaping mustard.
The DAE has fixed a target of bringing 36,200 hectares of land under mustard cultivation in all the seven upazilas of the district this season to produce 48,870 tonnes of the oil seeds.
But, farmers have finally cultivated mustard on 37,098 hectares of land this time in the district, the DAE sources added.
“The government ensured the necessary supply of seeds, fertilizers and other inputs in the right times to help its bumper production,” the sources said, adding that most of the land would be brought under Boro cultivation after harvesting mustard.
Deputy Director of the DAE said mustard cultivators of the district are interesting to cultivate the crops on their lands due to its easy cultivation process. High market price is also one of the main factors in cultivating mustard, he added.
In Thakurgaon, officials at the DAE said they hope the mustard cultivators will make better profit this year due to the favourable weather.
Besides, there is no report of major pest attack, which increases the hope of high harvest.
This year, some 50 bighas of land under Nanduar union in the upazila has been brought under mustard cultivation and the local DAE officials distributed mustard seeds and fertilisers to 1600 farmers in the upazila.
Sadequl Islam, deputy assistant officer of Upazila Officer of DAE, said the authorities concerned have set a target to bring 4,950 hectares of land under mustard cultivation which was 3,850 hectares last year.
Kamal Hossain, a mustard grower of Lehemba village in the upazila, said he brought 40 decimals of land under mustard cultivation. He also expected a bumper yield of mustard as the crop had grown well.
Kabir Ahmed, another farmer of the village, said “I have bought 33 decimals of land under mustard cultivation as the price of oil is high in the local market.”
Sanjay Debnath, Ranishankoil upazila Agriculture officer, said “Farmers are able to cultivate two varieties of paddy after harvesting mustard in their field which is a boon for them. This year, mustard cultivation is exceeding the previous year’s target as it is proved to be profitable.”
