Massive onion farming programme taken in N-region
Thursday, 15 November 2007
RANGPUR, Nov 14 (BSS): The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has fixed an enthusiastic target for producing 3,81,720 tonnes of onion from 63,620 hectares of land in the northern region of the country during the current rabi season, officials said here today.
They said the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and a number of NGOs have taken adequate steps to make the onion- farming programme successful.
Steps have been taken to provide adequate trainings, technical assistances, inputs, high quality imported and locally produced seeds and agri-loans for the farmers under various programmes of different government and non-government organisations, including the Northwest Crop Diversification Project (NCDP).
The sources said the special steps taken earlier this year to produce onion during the immediate past summer season helped substantially in producing the crop in the region.
More steps have been taken to increase production of onion in the current rabi season, deputy director of DAE, Rangpur, Kamal Shariful Alam told BSS today.
Senior agro-experts in the DAE, the BADC and the BARI said onion import would be reduced significantly next year if its production target is achieved.
They hoped that onion production in the region would continue to increase due to the new impetus being given to the sector by various organisations and the crop is being cultivated twice a year during the summer and winter seasons in place of only once during the winter in the past.
Last year, the DAE fixed a target for producing 3,53,006 tonnes of onion from 60,549 hectares in the country's 16 northern districts and the target was achieved, official sources added.
This season, 1,896 hectares will be brought under onion farming in Rangpur, 1,415 hectares in Gaibandha, 680 hectares in Lalmonirhat, 855 hectares in Nilphamari, 502 hectares in Kurigram, 3,695 hectares in Dinajpur, 695 hectares in Thakurgaon, 1,112 hectares in Panchagarh, 11,000 hectares in Rajshahi, 3,250 hectares in Naogaon, 6,550 hectares in Natore, 3,210 hectares in Chapainawabganj, 27,290 hectares in Pabna, 1,105 hectares in Sirajganj, 1,705 hectares in Bogra and 1,200 hectares in Joypurhat districts.
They said the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and a number of NGOs have taken adequate steps to make the onion- farming programme successful.
Steps have been taken to provide adequate trainings, technical assistances, inputs, high quality imported and locally produced seeds and agri-loans for the farmers under various programmes of different government and non-government organisations, including the Northwest Crop Diversification Project (NCDP).
The sources said the special steps taken earlier this year to produce onion during the immediate past summer season helped substantially in producing the crop in the region.
More steps have been taken to increase production of onion in the current rabi season, deputy director of DAE, Rangpur, Kamal Shariful Alam told BSS today.
Senior agro-experts in the DAE, the BADC and the BARI said onion import would be reduced significantly next year if its production target is achieved.
They hoped that onion production in the region would continue to increase due to the new impetus being given to the sector by various organisations and the crop is being cultivated twice a year during the summer and winter seasons in place of only once during the winter in the past.
Last year, the DAE fixed a target for producing 3,53,006 tonnes of onion from 60,549 hectares in the country's 16 northern districts and the target was achieved, official sources added.
This season, 1,896 hectares will be brought under onion farming in Rangpur, 1,415 hectares in Gaibandha, 680 hectares in Lalmonirhat, 855 hectares in Nilphamari, 502 hectares in Kurigram, 3,695 hectares in Dinajpur, 695 hectares in Thakurgaon, 1,112 hectares in Panchagarh, 11,000 hectares in Rajshahi, 3,250 hectares in Naogaon, 6,550 hectares in Natore, 3,210 hectares in Chapainawabganj, 27,290 hectares in Pabna, 1,105 hectares in Sirajganj, 1,705 hectares in Bogra and 1,200 hectares in Joypurhat districts.