RANGPUR, April 24, 2023 (BSS) - Harvesting of Boro rice has just begun with an excellent yield rate at the initial stage of predicting a bumper production of the major cereal crop in Rangpur agriculture region.  
 
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said the farmers have already completed harvesting of Boro rice in 9,157 hectares of land or 1.80 percent of the cultivated land area with an excellent average yield rate of 3.60 tonnes of clean rice per hectare.

Harvest of Boro rice will get momentum from the beginning of the next month in the region during the current season.  
 
Meanwhile, farmers expressed their happiness over the present excellent market price of newly harvested Boro paddy in all five districts of the region.
 
The DAE officials said 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 this season.
 
“Enthusiastic farmers, however, have finally transplanted Boro rice seedlings on over 5,06,525 hectares of land or 99.90 percent against the fixed farming target this time,” said Additional Director of the DAE’s Rangpur region Md. Aftab Hossain.
 
To ensure smooth cultivation of Boro rice, the DAE, Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited and Rural Electrification Board and other related organizations are ensuring supply of fertilisers and electricity to the farmers across the region.
 
Alongside with the mainland, farmers have brought more low-lying char lands, dried-up beels and riverine areas under Boro rice farming in the region where harvest of the crop has already begun and will complete before commencement of the next rainy season.
 
Tender Boro rice plants are growing fabulously amid favorable climatic conditions this season in the region.
 
Many farmers are adopting conservation agriculture (CA)-based technologies, including Alternate Wetting and Drying irrigation methods and organic pests’ management while farming of Boro rice to save water and increase rice output at reduced costs.
 
Talking to BSS, farmer Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar in Rangpur Sadar said tender plants of Boro rice on his seven acres of land are growing fast, predicting a bumper output this season.
 
Farmer Manik Mian of village Darshona in Rangpur Sadar upazila said he has cultivated Boro rice on seven acres of land this time and tender plants of the crop are growing excellently predicting a bumper production.
 
Similarly, farmers Mostafizar Rahman of Taraganj upazila, Aminul Islam of Gangachara upazila and Noor Mohammad of Badarganj upazila in Rangpur said they are expecting a bumper production of Boro rice as its tender plants are growing splendidly.
 
Independent Medal 2018 (food security) winner Dr. Md. Abdul Mazid lauded the government for extending assistance to the farmers for increasing rice production to reinforce food security amid the global crises caused by the Russia-Ukraine War after the Covid-19 pandemic strains.
 
“Adoption of the CA-based technologies like AWD irrigation method, use of balanced and organic fertilisers and organic pests’ management in farming Boro rice by farmers will help to get its maximum yield at reduced costs also saving underground water,” he said.