Rangpur DAE eyes 0.81m tonnes of maize yield
Our Correspondent | Monday, 19 February 2018
RANGPUR, Feb 18: Maize cultivators of Rangpur agriculture region are in joyous mood as the plants of the crop at different areas under the zone are growing well, predicting an excellent yield of the crop this year.
According to sources good price and huge demand for the crop in the country as well as abroad are inspiring the farmers of the region to grow it on a large scale in their fields.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said the department has fixed a target to produce more than 0.81 million tonnes of maize from around 92,705 hectares of land in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts under the agriculture region during the current season. And a bumper production of the crop is expected in the region owing to congenial weather condition as well as timely supply of necessary agri- inputs, sources also said.
Encouraged by low production cost and good price the farmers are showing their interest in maize cultivation as a result its cultivation is gaining ground in different areas of the region, sources said
It is learnt that maize corn is mainly used for poultry, fish and cattle feed, therefore, its demand is rising gradually.
People of many char (shoal) areas also cultivated it this year like previous years on a large-scale and are optimistic of achieving an excellent yield as well.
The farmers of the region have cultivated NK-40, PACIFIC-984, BRAC-60, BRAC-984, POLLEN etc varieties in abundance as the production of these varieties is high, sources said.
Sabuj Mia, a farmer of Nabdiganj village at Pirganj upazila in Rangpur told The Financial Express that he has cultivated the crop on two bighas of land this year spending around Tk 12,000 and is expecting to earn at least Tk 50,000 to Tk 60,000 as profits from its sale.
DAE sources said like in the mainland, the landless and river eroded char people have also brought more char lands under maize farming this year than the previous years.
The cultivation of the crop has become lucrative than many other crop as a result farmers are showing more interest in its cultivation in recent years, sources added.