Tray seedbed gains popularity in Rangpur

Seedbed on trays is becoming popular among farmers in Rangpur agro economic zone as the method saves both time and cost.

Farmers started cultivating boro paddy in five districts of the region with the seedlings developed using the system.

Farmers are expecting more benefits adopting the seedbed system as the seedlings are found stronger and healthier compared to seedlings produced in traditional system.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources, the DAE has targeted to prepare 50,000 trays for the seedbed while the achievement was 57,500 in the region this year.

Of them some 12,000 are in Rangpur, 2,500 in Gaibandha, 4,500 in Lalmonirhat, 30,000 in Kurigram and 8,850 in Nilphamari districts.

The system is mechanised and technology oriented. It proved cost-effective as it takes fewer seeds and other inputs. The main objective of the system is to inspire the farmers developing seedbed with the technology support instead of the manual system.

It usually takes 40-45 days to grow seedlings in the traditional system while it takes only 25-30 days in the tray system.

Additional Director of DAE Mahabub Rhaman said seed is sown in one inch high soil in a tray with the help of rice transplanter machine. Farmers can develop alternative tray using polythene and wood according to the size of the transplanter machine.

Farmers would get a better yield if the tray system is adopted. The paddy sheaf of the tray seedlings is stronger than the traditional seedlings prepared in the seedbed.

We are motivating the farmers to adopt the technology, he added.

When asked about the cost, he said farmers get additional benefits as they have to spend a smaller amount of money and labour to prepare seedbed in the tray system. A farmer need to spray at least 10 kg seed to develop a traditional seedbed for cultivating one acre of lands while it takes only 5- 6 kg seeds for one acre of land in the tray system.

The DAE has brought some 5,03,550 hectares of land under boro farming targeting to produce 22,07,132 tonnes of clean Boro rice in the region this year.

The government has been providing the latest tools, such as rice transplanting machine, among the farmers at subsidised rates to further boost the production at reduced cost, he also added.

Afzal Hossain, a farmer at Imadpur village under Mithapukur upazilla of the district, said he had prepared tray system seedbed for the first time this year for boro farming. He bought 6kg quality seeds at Tk 1,800 and spent Tk 800 more for insecticides and labour cost to prepare tray seedbed for cultivating one acre of land. His total cost stood at Tk 2,500 while he had to earlier spend at least Tk 4,000 for developing seedbed in traditional method.

He got tray seedlings in 30 days while it earlier took to least 40 days.

A farmer at Nabdigonj village under Pirgacha upazilla AKM Habibullah Miah made the similar observations.

RDRS, Bangladesh, Senior Coordinator Mamunur Rashid said the system is an improved technology. Moreover, the yield is high as the paddy plant is free from pest attacks and diseases.