Bumper production of Irri-Boro paddy in Rajshahi region likely

RAJSHAHI, May 5 (BSS): A bumper production of Irri-Boro paddy is expected during the current season in all the eight districts under Rajshahi Division, official sources said. Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said as a result of exceeding the target of cultivation, it is likely that the production of paddy in the region will cross target. The sources said the DAE had taken up a target to bring around 0.83 million hectares of land under current season's Irri-Boro cultivation in the region. But the farmers have actually cultivated paddy on around 0.88 million hectares of land, an excess of 0.021 million hectares. Additional Director of DAE, Rajshahi, Dr Kalidas Devnath told the news agency that a number of factors like favourable climatic condition, adequate supply of necessary inputs like mixed fertilisers and pesticides have contributed to the expected bumper output. DAE officials said harvesting of Irri- Boro has started in some extent with a positive signal of bumper production. They expect an estimated production of about 0.33 million metric tonnes of rice. "We hope that Irri-Boro production target would exceed because of availability of irrigation water and also effectively checking pest attacks," Dr Devnath pointed out. In addition to this, he said, frequent welcome showers also helped increase Boro production, which also minimised production cost of farmers in the vast tract of Barind region. Referring to the Irri-Boro cultivation on excess land, he said the farmers had shown more interest in cultivation as they were getting fair prices of their produces in the last couple of years. The harvest will get its full momentum within mid-May as most of the Boro fields are now becoming ripe for the purpose when grain formation continues after blooming in the lately transplanted Boro fields, the DAE officials said. Newly harvested Boro rice has started appearing in the local markets so far and the same expected to flood the markets within the current month putting further positive impacts on retail rice prices, markets sources said today. Meanwhile, crop-cutting ceremonies are being arranged in different parts of the region with participation of local lawmakers, local government representatives, district and Upazila administration and the DAE officials. Talking to the news agency, Executive Director of Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) Engineer Shafiqur Rahman said BMDA had extended irrigation to 0.5 million hectares of Irri-Boro lands by operating 12,813 deep tubewells in most of the districts under Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions. On the other hand, officials of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Rajshahi mentioned that if there is no hailstorm in the days ahead and the farmers can harvest their crop without any natural calamity, then there will be a bumper yield of Irri- Boro paddy.