Farmers have produced 34.23 lakh tons of Boro in 8.03 lakh hectares of land in all eight districts under Rajshahi division during the recent past harvesting season.
Presently, grassroots farmers are happy after getting better yields and market price for their newly harvested rice, which is also contributing a lot towards ensuring food security in the region amid the present adverse impact of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.
This year, 59,423 tons of rice has been produced in four districts under the Rajshahi Agricultural Zone compared to the target set by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).
The DAE had fixed a target of producing 14.60 lakh tons of rice from 3.48 lakh hectares of land in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj and Natore districts, but the farmers produced 15.19 lakh tons from 3.53 lakh hectares in the Rajshahi zone, reports BSS.
Sudhendra Nath Roy, Additional Director of DAE, Rajshahi said the farmers achieved the bumper yield after various effective steps were taken, including encouraging farmers to enhance cultivation of high yielding varieties of Boro rice, price reduction of DAP fertilizer, smooth supply of fertilizers and smooth power supply for irrigation by the government.
Use of the latest technologies, proper fertilization, agronomical managements and suitable weather also enabled the paddy farmers to get good yields, as steps had been taken to ensure smooth boro rice cultivation this season with close monitoring and supervision by DAE officials.
Nur Muhammad, a farmer of Gollapara village under Tanore Upazila, attained significant success after cultivating Brridhan-86 that yielded 29 mounds from per bigha of land on an average.
He also said there is a spectacular yield of paddy in the fields, adding he did not witness such an excellent yield of paddy in the field during his lifetime.
Another farmer Erfan Ali of Jahidnagar village under Gomastapur Upazila in Chapainawabganj district said he attained 30 mounds from per bigha of land after cultivating Brridhan-81 on two acres of land. He terms the yield as exceeding expectation.
Abul Hossain of Pirijpur village under Godagari said he had cultivated Boro paddy on 10-bighas of land and attained good yield.
Like him, many other farmers of the upazila were highly hopeful of a bumper paddy production this season. Hossain expects a good profit by selling paddy if the market price of Paddy is satisfactory.
Meanwhile, procurement drive of the newly harvested Boro rice is going on in full swing everywhere in the division creating high hopes of ensuring food security amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have already procured 58,010.61 tons of boiled rice, 2,312.12 tons of non-boiled rice and 6,784 tons of paddy in all districts in the division till Monday last,” said Raihanul Kabir, Regional Controller of the Department of Food here.
He said the government has set a target of procuring 2,62,731 tons of Boro rice and 1,42,495 tons of paddy in the division during the current season.
“We will procure 2,39,067 tons of boiled rice at the rate of Taka 36 per kilogram while 23,664 tons of non-boiled rice at Taka 35 per kilogram under the present rice procurement drive,” added Raihanul Kabir.
He said contracts have been signed with 5,369 millers for collecting 2,37,228.4 tons of boiled rice while 158 other millers signed contracts for supplying 20,833.49 tons of non-boiled rice. The enlisted millers have been supplying rice according to the terms and condition of the contract since its signing time.
“We have also set a target to procure 58,010.61 tonnes of boiled rice and 2,312 tons of non-boiled rice from the farmers directly,” Raihanul Kabir said.
Kabir said 71,391.57 tons of aman rice has been procured till Tuesday. “We have also procured 9,558.6 tons of wheat till the same date,” Raihanul Kabir added.
The officials are very hopeful about attaining the entire procurement targets, especially for Boro rice, in the division during the current season, as bumper production of Boro paddy has been seen throughout the region this year.
The procured food grains will help supplement the government efforts of battling against the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.