NAOGAON, Sept 03: Aus cultivation has been expanding in the district over the last few years due to government incentive and favourable climate condition.
This year 63,350 hectares of land have been brought under Aus cultivation in eleven upazilas of the district with a production target of 180,548 tonnes, said sources of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).
In 2017, Aus paddy was cultivated on 61,800 hectares of land in the district and the production was 1,76,130 tonnes. The rate was 58,243 hectares with production of 166,388 tonnes in 2016 and 57,280 hectares with production of 158,092 tonnes in 2015.
This season Ufshi variety was cultivated on 62,531 hectares of land while hybrid variety was farmed on 819 hectares of land.
Growers of the district have already started harvesting Aus paddy with a hope of good price of the crop in the market.
DAE officials said peasants are expecting bumper yield of Aus paddy in most of the upazilas in the district this season due to favourable climatic conditions.
They received seed, fertilizer and cash money for Aus farming in beginning of the season, the officials added.
One Mokhlesur Rahman of Narayanpur village under Mohadevpur Upazila said he cultivated Aus paddy on two bighas of land. He is expecting up to 24 maunds of paddy per bigha.
Atowar Rahman of the same area cultivated Aus paddy on 60 decimals of land. He, however, is fearing of low price of the product.
Director of DAE, Naogaon, Manojit Kumar Mallik said farmers in the district are showing more interest to cultivate Aus paddy as the government has continued its incentive programme in the area.
The agriculture officers are working relentlessly with the farmers aiming to bring more land under Aus cultivation next season, Mr Mallik added.
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