Our Correspondent
SYLHET, Apr 06: A good number of farmers in the greater Sylhet region are now getting prepared for cultivating Aus paddy as the farming season of the crop will begin soon.
A total of 172,000 hectares of land were brought under Aus farming last year, although the DAE's had revised the division's target at 174,824 hectares from its initial target in a bid to increase the coverage area.
However, in line with nationally taken programme for raising Aus farming all over the country, the Sylhet region's coverage would have to be increased by 33,000 hectares, an official informed last Friday.
"We have got good response so far", he added.
Deputy director of DAE, Sylhet Divisional office, Mozumder Md Lias told this correspondent that a targeted programme has already been taken up to bring 205,000 hectares of land under Aus cultivation.
The total area includes 77,500 hectares in Sylhet raising 16,350 hectares than last year's covered area, 56,000 hectares in Moulvibazar increasing 6,060 hectares than the last year's, 51,500 hectares in Habiganj, increasing 4,580 hectares and 20,000 hectares in Sunamganj district increasing 6,210 hectares than the last year's covered area.
Meanwhile, a programme for incentives worth Tk 55.16 million for the marginal farmers had been taken up for the Aus season. A total of 63,049 farmers in the division are being selected by the upazila level committees.
It includes Tk 22,881 in Sylhet, Tk 17,000 in Moulvibazar, Tk 15,500 in Habiganj and Tk 7,668 in Sunamganj, the official added.
Over 50 per cent work in this regard has already been done.
Under the incentive programme, the farmers would get seeds, fertiliser and cash. The district wise allocation has been set with Tk 20 million for Sylhet, Tk 14.87 million for Moulvibazar, Tk 13.56 million for Habiganj and Tk 6.70 million for Sunamganj.
Each of the selected poor farmers would get assistance for cultivating one bigha of land, the official added.
[email protected]
