Summer 'Mug' dal cultivation gains popularity in N-dists
Saturday, 5 July 2008
RAJSHAHI, July 4 (BSS): Cultivation of summer 'Mug' dal has been gaining popularity in different northern districts for the last couple of years as the farmers are reaping higher economic benefit from the increased demand for this variety of pulse.
Apart from cultivation of winter 'Mug' dal, the acreage for summer Mug dal expanded significantly in the region as the farmers are getting higher prices of their products during the last five to six years.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) told the news agency that some 20,500 hectares of land were brought under the Mug cultivation in 16 districts during the current season. Whereas, they said, the acreage was 15,867 hectares in the previous season.
The DAE officials also said that the topography and environment of Pabna, Sirajganj, Natore, Naogaon, Bogra, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Gaibandha and Rajshahi districts are very suitable for cultivation of this cash crop in summer.
Referring to various positive aspects of Mug dal production, they said huge lands remain fallow after harvesting potato, wheat and oilseed every year. These unused lands are being brought under the Mug dal cultivation in phases, they added.
According to the officials, no additional cost for fertiliser, pesticide and irrigation is needed to cultivate this sort-term cash crop, helping the farmers in saving additional production costs.
To make the Mug dal cultivation popular and profitable at the growers' level, the DAE and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) have been implementing massive programmes during the last couple of years.
Some 5,000 farmers were given necessary training on modern cultivation while 100 field days and 20 farmers' rallies were arranged for another 9,576 growers during the current season under the plan.
Necessary efforts for promoting the three newly invented high yielding varieties-Barimug-5, Barimug-6 and Binamug-5 at the farmers' level are continuing successfully. As a result, the officials said, the current yield shop up to 1.5 tonnes to 2.0 tonnes per hectare.
Deputy Director of DAE here Braja Haridas said the cultivation of Mug dal has been playing a significant role in crop intensity and diversification. Because, he said, the crop is short-term and it could be cultivated easily on the rice-based cropping pattern.
Referring to the immense prospect of the crop, he also said that if the yield could be enhanced to the expected level through successful expansion of the modern cultivation method among the growers, country's hard-earned foreign currencies would be saved.
According to Brajs Haridas, Bangladesh has to import huge Mug dal to meet its domestic demand. Since there is a bright prospect for increasing its acreage, he said Mug dal could be produced in larger amount with less production cost and the country would have not to spend any foreign currency for its import.
Senior Scientific Officer of BARI Shafiqul Islam said the 'wheat-mugbean-rice' cropping pattern is being disseminated to the field level to utilise the existing facilities for Mug dal cultivation.
Apart from cultivation of winter 'Mug' dal, the acreage for summer Mug dal expanded significantly in the region as the farmers are getting higher prices of their products during the last five to six years.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) told the news agency that some 20,500 hectares of land were brought under the Mug cultivation in 16 districts during the current season. Whereas, they said, the acreage was 15,867 hectares in the previous season.
The DAE officials also said that the topography and environment of Pabna, Sirajganj, Natore, Naogaon, Bogra, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Gaibandha and Rajshahi districts are very suitable for cultivation of this cash crop in summer.
Referring to various positive aspects of Mug dal production, they said huge lands remain fallow after harvesting potato, wheat and oilseed every year. These unused lands are being brought under the Mug dal cultivation in phases, they added.
According to the officials, no additional cost for fertiliser, pesticide and irrigation is needed to cultivate this sort-term cash crop, helping the farmers in saving additional production costs.
To make the Mug dal cultivation popular and profitable at the growers' level, the DAE and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) have been implementing massive programmes during the last couple of years.
Some 5,000 farmers were given necessary training on modern cultivation while 100 field days and 20 farmers' rallies were arranged for another 9,576 growers during the current season under the plan.
Necessary efforts for promoting the three newly invented high yielding varieties-Barimug-5, Barimug-6 and Binamug-5 at the farmers' level are continuing successfully. As a result, the officials said, the current yield shop up to 1.5 tonnes to 2.0 tonnes per hectare.
Deputy Director of DAE here Braja Haridas said the cultivation of Mug dal has been playing a significant role in crop intensity and diversification. Because, he said, the crop is short-term and it could be cultivated easily on the rice-based cropping pattern.
Referring to the immense prospect of the crop, he also said that if the yield could be enhanced to the expected level through successful expansion of the modern cultivation method among the growers, country's hard-earned foreign currencies would be saved.
According to Brajs Haridas, Bangladesh has to import huge Mug dal to meet its domestic demand. Since there is a bright prospect for increasing its acreage, he said Mug dal could be produced in larger amount with less production cost and the country would have not to spend any foreign currency for its import.
Senior Scientific Officer of BARI Shafiqul Islam said the 'wheat-mugbean-rice' cropping pattern is being disseminated to the field level to utilise the existing facilities for Mug dal cultivation.