Farmers are expecting a bumper mustard production as they are on the way to achieve the fixed farming target and the oilseed fields are now in full bloom everywhere in the northern region.
According to Department of Agricultural Extension, farmers of the region have almost completed sowing of mustard seeds after harvesting early variety Aman paddy and vegetables.
Currently, the blooming crop is growing excellent under favourable climatic conditions everywhere, including the char areas on the river basins.
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khandker Md Mesbahul Islam said mustard growers were expecting to start harvesting of mustard from the middle of January.
According to the DAE sources, the farmers have cultivated mustard on 247,394 hectares of land against the fixed target of bringing 252,353 hectares of land under its cultivation to produce 3,02,824 tonnes of the oilseeds this year.
However, the farmers are expected to exceed the fixed farming target as sowing of the late variety mustard seeds will continue till this month-end at places, the DAE sources said.
The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute and NGOs have distributed quality mustard seeds and banks agri-loans among the farmers to make mustard farming programme successful this season.
The blooming mustard fields have worn eye-catching yellow looks in vast char and mainland areas of Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Bogra, Sirajganj and Pabna districts on the river basins.
The farmers have mostly sowed the popular high yielding BARI variety mustard seeds evolved by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute this season like in the previous years.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said the farmers had been showing more interests in farming mustard in more lands after getting repeated bumper productions and excellent prices in recent years.
Rangpur Regional Additional Director of DAE Sikander Ali said necessary training, assistance, inputs, quality seeds, technologies and agri-loans have been provided to the farmers for making mustard farming programme successful this season.
