Aman seedling transplantation near completion in Rangpur

Transplantation of Aman rice seedlings has already been completed on 97.56 per cent of the targeted land area as the process is nearing completion despite inadequate rainfalls in the Rangpur agriculture region this season.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers have already transplanted Aman rice seedlings on 6,00,668 hectares of land, 97.56 per cent of the targeted land area for cultivation of the crop till Saturday.

“We are expecting to achieve the fixed farming target of Aman rice as transplantation of seedling of late varieties of the crop still continues,” Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Emdad Hossain Sheikh said on Saturday.

The DAE has fixed a target of producing 18,07,916 tonnes of clean Aman rice (27,11,874 tonnes of paddy) from 6,15,685 hectares of land for all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur in the region this season.

The target includes the production of 15,47,403 tonnes of high-yielding varieties of Aman rice from 5,32,115 hectares, and 2,24,765 tonnes of hybrid varieties of Aman rice from 64,035 hectares and 35,748 tonnes of local varieties of Aman rice from 19,535 hectares of land.

“Meanwhile, farmers have prepared Aman rice seedbeds on 33,501 hectares of land against the requirement of preparing the same on 30,469 hectares of land for cultivation of the crop on the targeted 6,15,685 hectares of land,” Hossain said.

The government has taken special steps to ensure the use of high-quality seeds, prepare model seedbeds and ensure balanced fertilisation and adoption of improved technologies to enhance rice production despite the adverse impacts of climate change.