Gaibandha farmers busy planting IRRI-Boro seedlings

GAIBANDHA, Feb 06: Farmers are spending a busy time in cultivating IRRI-Boro paddy at the beginning of this season in seven upazilas of the district.

This year, the prices of Aman paddy in the market are higher for the cultivation of IRRI-Boro paddy before winter.

Meanwhile, a labour crisis for cultivation, increasing workers' wages due to an increase in the prices of the commodities, the increase in the prices of pesticide drugs in the market is being spent on rice cultivation.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), 102,915 hectares of land has been brought under IRRI-Boro cultivation in seven upazilas of the district this season.

Rabiul Islam Babu, a farmer of Sadar Upazila, told the Financial Express, "In the last few years, farmers have got fair rice prices. So, most of the land is under the paddy cultivation."

Anarul Islam, another farmer of the same upazila, told the FE that last year, the cost of planting IRRI paddy on one bigha of land was about Tk 12,000.

Farmers said that they would have benefited more if the prices of agri-inputs were reduced.

Deputy Director of Gaibandha DAE Md Khorshed Alam told the FE if weather remains favourable, the IRRI-Boro cultivation will be more than the target.

Farmers have been advised to apply fertilisers at a proper rate for bumper production of the paddy.

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