Rangpur farmers busy transplanting Boro rice seedlings

Transplantation of Boro rice seedlings has gained full momentum creating huge jobs for farm labourers and making farmers busy amid an easing cold wave situation in Rangpur agriculture region.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said the government has taken ample steps to assist farmers to make the Boro rice farming program a success aiming at further enhancing rice output during the current Rabi season.

"Transplantation of Boro rice seedling is nearing completion in low-lying and char areas as the process has got full momentum in the mainland," Additional Director of the DAE's Rangpur region Agriculturist Mohammad Shah Alam said.

The government through the DAE has fixed a target of producing 22,30,219 tonnes of clean Boro rice (33,45,329 tonnes of paddy) from 5,07,050 hectares of land for all five districts in the region during the current Rabi season.

"Meanwhile, enthusiastic farmers have already transplanted Boro rice seedlings on over 1,02,000 hectares of land or 20.12 per cent against the fixed farming target in the region till Sunday," he said.

The DAE and other agri-related organizations are providing latest technologies to farmers to increase rice production at reduced costs and further strengthening food security amid the global crises caused by the Russia-Ukraine War and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, farmers have prepared Boro rice seedbeds on 26,386 hectares of land exceeding the fixed target of preparing the same on 23,176 hectares of land by 13.85 per cent in the region.

The DAE with other related organizations, Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited and Rural Electrification Board are ensuring smooth supply of seeds, fertilizers and electricity to farmers to ensure smooth Boro rice cultivation.

"We are inspiring farmers to adopt conservation agriculture (CA)-based technologies like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method in farming Boro rice to lessen lifting of underground water for irrigation and increase rice output at reduced cost," Alam said.

With little improvement in the cold wave situation during the past couple of days, farmers have accelerated transplantation of Boro rice seedlings on their crop lands to complete the process on time in the region.

After getting all necessary assistance and facilities from the government, enthusiastic farmers are expected to exceed the fixed Boro rice farming target in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts of the region this season.

Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Mahbubar Rahman said transplantation of Boro rice seedlings is nearing completion in the low-lying char lands, beels and riverine areas in the region.

"Farmers are targeting to bring more low-lying char lands, beels and riverine areas under Boro rice farming to complete its harvest before commencement of the next rainy season," he added.

Agriculturist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got the Independent Medal 2018 (food security), expressed satisfaction over the ample steps taken by the government to assist farmers in all possible ways for making the Boro rice farming a success.

He suggested farmers for large-scale adoption of AWD irrigation method and ensuring proper agronomic management to get maximum Boro rice yield at reduced cost saving huge underground water and fuel cost for irrigation.

Farmers, Ariful Haque, Azizur Rahman, Farid Hossain Lutfar Rahman and Manik Mian of different villages in Rangapur Sadar said they are continuing transplantation of seedlings on their croplands to complete the process by February 15 next.