Farmers asked to attain self-reliance in Parija rice seed

RANGPUR, Aug 25 (BSS): The farmers have been advised to attain self-reliance in production and preservation of Parija rice seed using modern technologies to further expand cultivation of the indigenous rice.

Experts gave the suggestion while speaking at a daylong training organised for the farmers on preservation of Parija rice seed and its extension at Kishoreganj Upazila in Nilphamari district recently.

They also called upon the field level agriculture officials to disseminate the latest seed technology among the farmers to make them educated on production, preservation and management of Parija rice seed maintaining quality.

The farmers have been assisting in expanding Parija rice cultivation since 2009 in the district adopting its new cropping pattern of 'short duration Aman rice-mustard or potato-mungbean-short duration Aus (parija) rice' to get four crops annually from same land.

Kishoreganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Nushrat Jahan attended the training course as the chief guest with Chairman of Barovita Union Federation Arbindu Roy in the chair.

Sub-assistant Agriculture Officer of Kishoreganj Upazila Abdul Rafik attended the training course as the special guest.

In her address, the chief guest narrated the technologies for preservation of Parija rice seed suggesting the participating 20 farmers for collecting seed through harvesting the 80 per cent Parija ripe crop.

"After harvest, the rice seed should be rouged first to separate from unwanted variety rice seed mixed with pure Parija seed before properly drying and subsequently cooling for preservation in recommended packets," she said.

The chief guest said the farmers would be benefited largely through producing and preserving Parija rice seed at their own for cultivation during the next season as market price of the same shoots up when the cultivations season commences.

Nushrat Jahan also suggested the farmers for expanding Parija rice farming that requires no supplementary irrigation as its plants grow well making best use of unused seasonal rain waters during the months of May, June and July to produce additional rice for ensuring food security in the country.