17.19 lakh tonnes of Aman production target for Rangpur region

RANGPUR, July 6: A target of producing over 17.19 lakh tonnes of clean Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) rice (25.79 lakh tonnes of paddy) has been fixed from 6.05 lakh hectares of land for Rangpur agriculture region this season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers have just started transplantation of T-Aman rice seedlings and the process will get full momentum by this month-end.
Last year, farmers produced 18.01 lakh tonnes of T-Aman rice (27-lakh tonnes of paddy) from 6.08 lakh hectares of land against the fixed target of producing 18.08 lakh tonnes of T-Aman rice from 6.35 lakh hectares of land in the region.
"The fixed production target of T-Aman rice for this season is less by 82,000 tonnes than the achieved production of 18.01 lakh tonnes of T-Aman rice last year," said Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad Ali.
As cultivable land area continues lessening along with crop diversification, emphasis is being put on improving intercultural operation while farming T-Aman rice to increase its yield rate and production vertically in place of horizontal expansion of targeted land area."Aman rice production can be increased by up to 10 percent by ensuring production, proper preservation and use of quality seeds, preparing model seedbeds, balanced fertilisation and adopting improved technologies," Ali said.
Meanwhile, farmers have prepared T-Aman seedbeds on 30,988 hectares of land exceeding the requirement of preparing the same on 30,391 hectares of land by 597 hectares for cultivation of T-Aman rice on 6.05 lakh hectares of land this year.
"Though the current flood has submerged T-Aman seedbeds on 659 hectares of land in four districts, it will not affect the farming process of T-Aman rice and achieve its fixed cultivation target as there is enough time to prepare new seedbeds," he said.
The farmers, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation and Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities will keep their irrigation pumps ready to operate for T-Aman rice seedling transplantation in case of less rainfall or droughts, if any, in the region.
"We have directed field level agriculture officials to provide all necessary assistance and latest technologies to farmers to ensure successful cultivation of T-Aman rice in the region," Ali added.
In addition to this, steps will be taken to prepare late variety T-Aman rice seedbeds on highlands and floating seedbeds in low-lying areas so that there was no crisis of seedlings for floods, if any during July and August months this season.
"The farmers are now preparing their croplands for transplantation of T-Aman rice seedlings in all five districts of the region where a favourable weather condition is prevailing for the purpose," Ali added.
Talking to this correspondent, farmer Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar in Rangpur Sadar upazila said he has already prepared seedbeds and will begin transplantation of T-Aman rice seedling soon on his seven acres of land.
Farmers Mofizar Rahman of Taraganj upazila and Ashraful Islam of Badarganj upazila in Rangpur said they are ready to begin transplantation of T-Aman rice seedlings on their croplands from the next week.    -BSS