Even though rice production increased in the country during the Aman season in the fiscal year 2022-23, its output dropped in the Aush season.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data, Aman rice production increased 3.12 per cent while Aush rice yield fell 3.32 per cent in the last fiscal year.
The BBS data also showed that 57,24,822 hectares of land were brought under Aman cultivation during the last season and the country produced 1,54,26,395 tonnes of rice in FY23, up 468,000 tonnes from the previous FY2021-22.
The country produced 1,49,58,390 tonnes of Aman rice from 57,20,127 hectares of land in FY2022.
The average yield was 2.69 tonnes per hectare in FY23 while it was 2.61 tonnes per hectare in FY22.
However, the rice production fell short of target by 9 lakh tonnes this season. The government set a target of producing 1,63,45,600 tonnes of rice in the Aman season for FY23 from 59,06,000 hectares of land.
There was a data mismatch between the BBS and the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to sources in the Ministry of Agriculture, Aman was cultivated on 58,99,300 hectares of land in FY23. The total rice production was 1,69,30,600 tonnes, up by 5,85,000 tonnes than the target. The average yield was 2.87 tonnes per hectare.
The official data showed that 1,44,37,000 tonnes of Aman rice were produced from 56,25,000 hectares of land in FY2021 and the average yield per hectare was 2.56 tonnes while 14,23,000 tonnes of rice were produced from 55,00,059 hectares of land in FY2020 and the average yield was 2.55 tonnes per hectare.
In FY2019, the country produced 1,40,54,000 tonnes of Aman rice from 56,21,000 hectares of land and the average yield per hectare was 2.50 tonnes.
In the Aush season, 10,61,273 hectares of land were brought under cultivation. The total rice production was 29,01,156 tonnes in FY23, which was 1 lakh tonnes lower than that of the previous FY22. A total of 30,00,857 tonnes of rice were produced from 11,00,059 hectares of land in FY2022.
The average yield per hectare was 2.73 tonnes in FY2023 while it was 2.58 tonnes per hectare in FY2022.
The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) predicted that rice production might be higher in FY23. During the last Aman season, the weather condition was quite favourable for cultivation. Some factors, especially clear sunlight, average temperature, relative humidity and cloudless sky during the Aman season have contributed to good Aman yield.
Shahjahan Kabir, Director General of BRRI, said the country saw the bumper yield of Aman paddy this year due to favourable weather, especially temperature and sunlight. Besides, due to low rainfall, many low-lying lands have come under Aman cultivation, he added.
