The transplanting Aman (T-Aman) farmers of six Jashore region districts have started harvesting the ripen paddy from their land. It has been bringing smile on the faces of the farmers when they were harvesting the same in a suitable climate free from rain, storm and excessive sun heat.
They are receiving 55 to 60 maunds of the paddy from each hectare of land, said the farmers.
When contacted farmer Altaf Hossain of village Ganna in Jhenaidah Sadar Upazila said he transplanted BR 51 variety of T-Aman of his land. He is receiving18 maunds of paddy from 33 decimal of land in the season. Although there was pest attack and mild diseases due to severe heat, he had to apply excessive pesticides to control the pest and diseases with intensive care.
Farmer Atul Biswas of village Langalbandh in Sripur upazila in Magura when contacted said he has been harvesting the T-Aman paddy at the rate of 19 maunds from his 33 decimals of land in the season. He spent a lot for irrigation of water supply and pest due to excessive heat weather in the season, Atul Biswas said. Office sources of the additional director (AD) of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Jashore said they had set target to produce 1531,315 tonnes of rice on a total of 456,705 hectares of land in six regional districts in the season. But the farmers had exceeded the target and cultivated the same on 459,321 hectares in the season. District wise achievement of paddy farming land was 140,406 hectares in Jashore, 104,355 hectares in Jhenaidah, 62,101 hectares in Magura, 88,919hectares in Kushtia, 26,840hectares in Meherpur and remaining 36,700hectares in Chuadanga.
The DAE sources said they were hopeful of achieving the target for 3.35 tonnes of rice on an average on each hectare of land in the season. The farmers in the region had started harvesting the paddy since mid-October which might be completed by mid-December next, they said.
When contacted, DAE additional Director at Jashore regional office Abu Hossain said ignoring the attack of pest and diseases, the farmers throughout the region have spent their valuable time in the rice plots to take intensive care to reap better. Further, each and every field level sub assistant agriculture officers (SAAOs) were advised to stand by the farmers at their any need to minimize the loss and make the paddy farming profitable. The farmers were also advised to use modern technology and machineries with a subsidized cost, additional director said.
