Despite a drought-like situation during the seedling transplantation stage, farmers are now expecting a bumper production of Aman rice in Rangpur agriculture region this season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers have already started harvesting short-duration varieties of Aman rice while tender plants of the crop are growing superbly everywhere following recent rainfalls.
Enthusiastic farmers are nursing their growing Aman rice plants on vast tracts of crop land that have worn an eye-catching glance in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in the region.
Earlier, the government had fixed a target of producing 19,17,672 tonnes of clean Aman rice (28,76,508 tonnes of paddy) from 6,20,275 hectares of land this season for the region.
Farmers have finally brought 6,20,362 hectares of land under Aman rice cultivation exceeding the fixed farming target by 0.01 percent braving the drought-like situation during the seedling transplantation period.
"We are expecting a bumper production of Aman rice in the region where farmers have already begun harvesting early varieties of the crop," Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Obaidur Rahman Mondal said.
The present interim government constantly gave directions to the DAE and other agriculture-related organisations to take all necessary steps to assist farmers and make the Aman rice farming program successful.
The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), Teesta Barrage Project ensured irrigation facilities for transplantation of Aman rice seedlings amid less rainfall.
"The BADC and BMDA and farmers put irrigation pumps into operation and the Teesta Barrage Project supplied water through canals to assist farmers in transplanting Aman rice seedlings this season," Mondal said.
The field level agriculture officials are continuously providing assistance and technological support to farmers to ensure successful cultivation of Aman rice.
"The DAE has taken special steps to ensure use of high quality seeds, smooth supply of fertilisers and fuels, prepare model seedbeds, balanced fertilization and adoption of improved technologies to increase Aman rice yield this time," Mondal said.
In addition, the DAE and other related organizations conducted motivational and training programs to help farmers adapt to adverse climate and drought- like conditions and achieve specific cultivation targets for Aman rice cultivation.
Despite a short-term flash flood last week, standing crops in 1,616 hectares of lands, including Aman rice in 1,417 hectares, were submerged under floodwater in 17 upazilas of Rangpur region.
"However, no damage has been caused to the inundated Aman rice crop for quicker recession of floodwater within three to four days since submergence. Production of Aman rice will not be affected," he said.
Farmers Manik Miah, Solaiman Ali and Nur Muhammad of different villages in Sadar, Badarganj and Pirganj upazilas of Rangpur said their growing Aman rice plants would not require any more supplementary irrigation following recent rainfalls.
Mamtaz Uddin, a farmer of Puthimari village in Rangpur Sadar upazila, said that he already harvested his short-duration early variety Aman paddy on Sunday, got a good yield and sold it at Taka 1,250 per mound (every 40 kg).
