RANGPUR, Jan 30, 2023 (BSS) - Transplantation of seedlings of Boro rice has
gained full momentum creating huge jobs for farm-laborers and making farmers
busy amid an easing cold wave situation in Rangpur agriculture region.
   
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said the
government has taken ample steps to assist farmers to make the Boro rice
farming program a success aiming at further enhancing rice output during the
current Rabi season.
 
"Transplantation of Boro rice seedling is nearing completion in low-lying and
char areas as the process has got full momentum in the mainland," Additional
Director of the DAE's Rangpur region Agriculturist Mohammad Shah Alam said.
 
The government through the DAE has fixed a target of producing 22,30,219
tonnes of clean Boro rice (33,45,329 tonnes of paddy) from 5,07,050 hectares
of land for all five districts in the region during the current Rabi season.
 
"Meanwhile, enthusiastic farmers have already transplanted Boro rice
seedlings on over 1,02,000 hectares of land or 20.12 percent against the
fixed farming target in the region till Sunday," he said.

The DAE and other agri-related organizations are providing latest
technologies to farmers to increase rice production at reduced costs and
further strengthening food security amid the global crises caused by the
Russia-Ukraine War and Covid-19 pandemic.
   
Meanwhile, farmers have prepared Boro rice seedbeds on 26,386 hectares of
land exceeding the fixed target of preparing the same on 23,176 hectares of
land by 13.85 percent in the region.
 
The DAE with other related organizations, Northern Electricity Supply Company
Limited and Rural Electrification Board are ensuring smooth supply of seeds,
fertilizers and electricity to farmers to ensure smooth Boro rice
cultivation.
 
"We are inspiring farmers to adopt conservation agriculture (CA)-based
technologies like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method in farming Boro
rice to lessen lifting of underground water for irrigation and increase rice
output at reduced cost," Alam said.
 
With little improvement in the cold wave situation during the past couple of
days, farmers have accelerated transplantation of Boro rice seedlings on
their crop lands to complete the process on time in the region.

After getting all necessary assistance and facilities from the government,
enthusiastic farmers are expected to exceed the fixed Boro rice farming
target in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts
of the region this season.
 
Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Mahbubar
Rahman said transplantation of Boro rice seedlings is nearing completion in
the low-lying char lands, beels and riverine areas in the region.
 
"Farmers are targeting to bring more low-lying char lands, beels and riverine
areas under Boro rice farming to complete its harvest before commencement of
the next rainy season," he added.
   
Agriculturist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got the Independent Medal 2018 (food
security), expressed satisfaction over the ample steps taken by the
government to assist farmers in all possible ways for making the Boro rice
farming a success.
 
He suggested farmers for large-scale adoption of AWD irrigation method and
ensuring proper agronomic management to get maximum Boro rice yield at
reduced cost saving huge underground water and fuel cost for irrigation.
    
Farmers, Ariful Haque, Azizur Rahman, Farid Hossain Lutfar Rahman and Manik
Mian of different villages in Rangapur Sadar told BSS that they are
continuing transplantation of seedlings on their croplands to complete the
process by February 15 next.