N-region growers to start mustard harvest next month

RAJSHAHI, Dec 25 (BSS): Growers are expecting good yield of mustard seed this season.

Mamunur Rashid, a farmer of Chanduria Namopara village under Tanore upazila, said the cash crop is now growing well everywhere in the region due to appropriate measures by authorities concerned and favourable weather. "We are harvesting the cash crop with hope of better yield and lucrative market price," he said, adding that harvesting of the crop will begin next month.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has set a target of bringing around 0.18 million hectares of land in eight districts of the region during the current season but the farmers cultivated the crop on 0.18 million hectares of land.

Besides the DAE, various other research and development organisations like BARI, BARC, BADC and many NGOs have taken adequate steps in collaboration with other departments this season.

Senior Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute Dr Shakhawat Hossain said BARI has released 16 high yielding mustard seeds and two of those- BARI Sharisha-15 and Tari-7 have become popular among the growers' level.

Terming the mustard as eco-friendly Dr Hossain said its farming promotion can be the vital means of lessening the gradually mounting pressure on underground water.

The agri-departments and NGOs have provided quality seeds, necessary inputs and trainings on the latest technologies to make the programme successful.

The landless and marginal farmers have also brought vast tracts of the sandy char lands under mustard cultivation this time in the Ganges basins and the crops are growing excellent everywhere now in the region.

Agriculturist Mustafizur Rahman, additional director of DAE, said the region has immense prospects to achieve self- reliance in oil seed productions.

In this regard, he underscored the need for using the latest agro-technologies and disseminating proper knowledge to the farmers for increasing mustard seed to achieve self- reliance in edible oil to reduce the dependence on import.