RAJSHAHI, Sept 10 (BSS): Nearly 48,000 hectares of more land have been brought under T-Aman farming than the target in Rajshahi division comprising eight districts during the current season.
Due to favourable climatic condition, the target of Aman paddy cultivation exceeded this year.
Currently, farmers of the region are now busy in taking care of the transplanted Aman paddy in their field. If such favourable climatic condition prevails, farmers are hoping of a bumper production of the crop.
Farmers informed, though the region faced a drought like condition during the planting season, there were sufficient and adequate rainfall later on which helped a smooth growth of Aman plant.
Now, farmers were busy taking care of their fields including eradication of herbs, spraying of insecticides and using of fertilisers.
The price of paddy being satisfactory, more farmers cultivated paddy this season and thus surpassing the target by some 48,000 hectares.
Zaidur Rahman, a farmer of Karnahar village under Paba upazila informed, he has cultivated Aman on 35 bighas of land.
The price of paddy being satisfactory this year, many farmers of the area have increased the amount of T-Aman cultivation.
Moreover, so far there was no natural catastrophes and due to sufficient rainfall, there was no need to irrigate in the field.
However, he said, due to crisis of farm hands, the cost of Aman cultivation may increase this year.
Agriculturist Monjure Maula informed, due to getting a satisfactory price of Aman paddy, the target of cultivation of Aman has been surpassed the target this season.
According to a source of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the target of Aman cultivation has been set to bring 6,90,141 hectares whereas actually the paddy was cultivated on 7,37,903 hectares of land in the division.
Of those, 0.71 million hectares of land were brought under high yielding varieties, 18,389 hectares under local varieties and 9,705 hectares under hybrid varieties.
Meanwhile, the DAE here has set a target of producing around 1.86 million tonnes of transplanted Aman rice in the region including its vast Barind tract during the current season.
Additional director of DAE SM Mustafizur Rahman told the news agency on Monday that the rice is expected to be produced from around 0.73 million hectares of land in the districts of Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Natore, Pabna, Sirajgonj, Bogura and Joypurhat.
Bangladesh Agricultural Department Corporation (BADC) and Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) supplied quality seed among the growers to achieve a good yield.
Most of the Aman farmers are applying modern methods on their paddy field. DAE officials help them use pesticide and fertilisers properly.
Agriculturist Rahman said, "We have provided all sort of necessary agri-inputs among the farmers this season to make the cultivation programme a success."
