Govt fixes target of producing 18.9m tonnes Boro rice

FE Team | Published: November 13, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

RANGPUR, Nov 12 (BSS): The government has fixed a record target of producing over 18.9 million (1.89 crore) tonnes of clean Boro rice from 0.47 million (4.78 lakh) hectares of land in the country during the current winter season, official sources said.
The government through the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and concerned organisations has taken steps to provide assistance to the farmers in making the fixed Boro cultivation programme successful.
Under the programme, 3.16 million (31.62 lakh) tonnes of hybrid variety Boro rice will be produced from 6.70 lakh hectares land, 15.71 million (157.12 lakh) tonnes high yielding variety Boro rice from 4.06 million (40.60 lakh) hectares land and 10,300 tonnes of local variety Boro rice from 5,000 hectares land this season.
According to the DAE sources, a target of producing over 63.69 million (63.69 lakh) tonnes of Boro rice, 33.56 per cent of the fixed national production target, has been set for the northern region, commonly known as the country's food granary, under the programme.
The farmers will bring over 1.59 million (15.99 lakh) hectares land under Boro cultivation in the northern region to attain the fixed farming target and they have already started preparing seedbeds of early varieties of Boro rice.
The government has directed the DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and other organisations to provide assistance and technologies to the farmers for maximum Boro rice production this season.
Of them, over 10.68 tonnes hybrid Boro rice will be produced from more than 0.22 million (2.26 lakh) hectares land, 5.28 million (52.86 lakh) tonnes high yielding variety rice from over 13.65 hectares and 21,813 tonnes local variety rice from 10,589 hectares land in the northern region.
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker M Mesbahul Islam said comprehensive and well- coordinated steps have been taken for delivering latest technologies to the farmers for enhancing Boro rice production at lower costs.
Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Zulfiquer Haider said the farmers will largely adopt the latest technologies in farming the major cereal crop during the current Boro season to reduce lifting of underground water and save electricity.
The concerned agriculture related departments and organisations have also taken comprehensive efforts in popularizing the latest agriculture technologies among the farmers to make the Boro farming programme successful.
Associate Director -Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr MA Mazid suggested for large-scale adoption of the conservation agriculture technologies to achieve bumper Boro rice production saving farming costs and resources.