Farmers in Gopalganj are increasingly turning to Bina Dhan-26 after the variety of Aman rice delivered significantly higher yields than conventional varieties.
Mohabbat Ali, a farmer from Shuktail village in Jalalabad union of Gopalganj Sadar upazila, harvested 32.5 maunds of rice per bigha this season, compared to a maximum of 18 maunds from the same land using conventional varieties.
Around 400 farmers across the district cultivated the variety this year and reported encouraging results. Among them are Md Shahid Sardar and Md Elias of Jalalabad union, who plan to grow it again next season. Other farmers in the area are also showing interest.
A field day and harvesting program was held on Mohabbat Ali's farmland in West Shuktail village to showcase the variety's performance. More than 50 farmers attended, alongside Gopalganj Department of Agricultural Extension Deputy Director Dr Mamunur Rahman, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) Gopalganj sub-centre In-Charge and Chief Scientific Officer Dr Harun-or-Rashid, and Sadar upazila agriculture officer Mafroza Akter.
Dr Harun-or-Rashid said seeds of the variety were distributed among 400 farmers in the district this year, with growers reporting good yields. Bina Dhan-26 has a growing period of around 120 days, is tolerant of waterlogging and diseases, and produces an average yield of 6.5-7 tonnes per hectare, he said.
Dr Mamunur Rahman said a field assessment of Mohabbat Ali's crop recorded a yield of 6.2 tonnes per hectare, describing it as promising for Aman growers in the region. Wider cultivation could help farmers increase production and income, he added.
Mohabbat Ali said he had previously harvested no more than 18 maunds per bigha from conventional Aman varieties. The 32.5-maund harvest this season has encouraged him to cultivate Bina Dhan-26 again.
Farmers said the higher yield from the same amount of land could improve their returns and reduce the pressure of production costs. They hope wider adoption of the variety will boost Aman production and farm incomes.
Mafroza Akter said field demonstrations and harvesting programs help farmers assess new rice varieties first-hand and determine their suitability for local conditions.
Agricultural officials said growing interest among farmers could expand Bina Dhan-26 cultivation in the next Aman season, boosting rice production and farmers' incomes across the district.