Mymensingh farmers can now grow four seasonal crops a year

MYMENSINGH, Nov 08: Farmers of Mymensingh are cultivating four seasonal crops a year from the same land including mustard and jute invented by Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA).

Farmers of Mymensingh are busy harvesting early varieties of Aman Binadhan-11 and Binadhan-6. They are happy to harvest four crops a year from the same land. Director General of BINA, Mirza Mofazzal Islam said, "Scientists are working to double the crop production by 2030 as per the UN's advanced target and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's call that not even an inch of our land can be left uncultivated."

As part of this, farmers are harvesting four crops on the same land using the invention of BINA. As a result, with the increase of production, the income of the farmers has increased.

Abdur Rashid, a farmer from Kandipara village in Mymensingh Sadar's Paranganj, has planted Binadhan-11 and BINA Dhan-8 on 110 acres of land, Ruhul Amin on 120 acres and Ibrahim on 140 acres of land in the current Aman season.

Aman paddy has already ripened. He is busy harvesting the crop. Farmer Abdur Rashid said by cultivating this paddy, he is able to harvest four crops from the same land. Other Aman varieties are not ripened yet but the variety of BINA's has ripened. "You will get good price by selling advance variety of Aman paddy". Farmer Ruhul Amin said, "Just as you can get a good price for advance variety, you can also make a profit by selling it because there is a shortage of food in the village now".

After harvesting Binadhan, he will plant mustard varieties that can be harvested in 75-80 days. I can cut mustard and grow jute in that land for a short time. In this way, they are being benefited by harvesting four crops on the same land. Ibrahim of the same area said, "I can cultivate four crops in the land where earlier not more than two crops could be planted. In this case, BINA is providing technical assistance including seeds and fertilizers, he added.

BINA's senior scientific officer Dr. Firoz Hasan said the project is helping farmers to grow four crops on the same land through BINA's technology. As a result of short-term planting of Aman Binadhan-11 and BINA Dhan-6 varieties of paddy, the farmers are able to cultivate early variety of paddy at the earliest of time and after that he is benefiting by planting BINA's mustard. After that, the farmers can plant bean, jute for a short time and sell it in the market and they can easily cultivate in Boro season again, he said.

Matiuzzaman, acting deputy director of the agricultural extension department of Mymensingh district, said Aman paddy has been planted on 268,400 hectares of land in the current Aman season, surpassing the target of 266,000 hectares. Farmers have started harvesting paddy as early varieties of Aman paddy are ripening in the field. By planting early varieties of paddy, the farmers are being benefited financially and on the other hand they are able to harvest four crops a year on the same land, he added.

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