Rangpur eying bumper maize output

Agriculturalists are expecting a bumper production of maize in Rangpur region as the farmers have exceeded the fixed farming target set by DAE during this season.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said maize plants are growing fabulously, predicting a bumper production of the less irrigation water-consuming cereal crop having huge demand in local markets.

Farmers of both mainland and char areas of the districts are showing keen interest in maize farming as they got bumper production of the crop during the past years and lucrative prices.

DAE has fixed a target of producing 11,70,696 tonnes of maize from 1,08,065 hectares of land in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts in the region.

“However, enthusiastic farmers in the districts have brought additional 5,535 hectares of land under cultivation exceeding the target,” said DAE officials.

During the last season, farmers produced over 11.48-lakh tonnes of maize from 1,06,217 hectares of land in the region, said Rangpur DAE Deputy Director Md Abdullah Al Mamun.

The flourishing of poultry, dairy, and animal husbandry and food industry sectors in the country have created a huge demand for maize that encouraged the farmers to lean towards farming. The farmers have found it as a cash crop reaping more benefits.

The government provided special incentives including high-yielding varieties of maize seeds and fertilisers to landless, small, marginal and flood-hit farmers to further enhance maize cultivation.

“We are expecting a bumper production of maize this year,” Al Mamun said.

Senior Coordinator (agriculture and environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said there are huge potentialities of increasing maize production in the region by bringing vast tracts of char lands in the riverine areas.

Maize is cultivated primarily in Rabi and Kharif-1 seasons. The farmers sow the seed of Rabi maize soon after harvesting Aman paddy in November – December and Kharif maize after harvesting potato in March.

Farming however has expanded both on the mainland and in char areas that help to improve the livelihoods and living standards of small and marginal farmers, landless and char people living in the river basin areas of the region.

The char farmers of the districts have brought more lands under maize cultivation on the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Jamuna, Dudhkumar, Atrai and Ghaghot riverine areas this season.

Maize cultivation has helped the char people become economically solvent despite the adverse impact of climate change.

The government provided special incentives, high-yielding varieties of maize seeds and fertilisers to landless, small, marginal and flood-hit farmers to further enhance maize cultivation this time, said local sources.

After getting special incentives, assistance and the latest technologies from the DAE and different NGOs, farmers have expanded maize cultivation using the latest agricultural technologies to get better output and lucrative market prices.

Farmers Abdur Rahim, Jalil, Farhan Ali, Nurul Islam and Aiyub Ali of different villages in Rangpur said they are expecting a bumper maize output as the harvest of the crop is nearing completion with a bumper yield rate.

They also expressed satisfaction over the present market price of maize which has huge demand in the animal husbandry, poultry and pisciculture and food industries sectors across the country.

Helal Miah, 50, of Jamirbari village under Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat district said, he usually gets around 100 maunds of maize cultivating one acre of land at the cost of about Tk 20,000-25,000.

He has cultivated maize on three acres of char lands this year spending Tk 60,000. He is expecting to harvest at least 300 maund crops. He got 280 maund yields last year cultivating the crop on the same lands. The harvesting will begin at the beginning of April.

“I feel very happy as I got a huge profit from the cultivation. One maund maize was sold at Tk 1,200-1,250 at a wholesale rate last year,” he said, adding that maize farming helps the char farmers improve their livelihood and living standard.