RANGPUR, Dec 22, 2021 (BSS) - Farmers have begun transplantation of early
varieties Boro rice seedlings alongside taking extensive care of their
growing seedbeds in Rangpur agriculture region during the current Rabi
season.

   Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers
have so far prepared Boro rice seedbeds on 22,005 hectares of land against
the fixed target of preparing the same on 23,093 hectares of land in the
region.

   "Transplantation of Boro rice seedlings continues in low-lying and
riverine char areas. However, the process will get full momentum from the end
of January next," Additional Director of the DAE's Rangpur region
Agriculturist Md. Tauhidul Ikbal told BSS.

   The DAE has fixed a target of producing 22,07,132 tonnes of clean Boro
rice (33,10,698 tonnes of paddy) from 5,03,550 hectares of land for all five
districts-- Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat-- in the
region.

   Farmers will produce 10,36,252 tonnes of hybrid variety Boro rice from
2,11,700 hectares of land, 11,67,680 tonnes of high yielding variety rice
from 2,90,090 hectares and 3,200 tonnes of local variety Boro rice from 1,760
hectares of land.

   "Farmers have so far transplanted Boro rice seedlings on 682 hectares of
land in the region till Tuesday," he said.

   The DAE and other agriculture-related departments and different
organisations have taken all necessary preparations to ensure smooth delivery
of seed, fertilizer, electricity and technologies to the farmers to make the
intensive Boro rice farming programme a success.

   "Steps have also been taken to popularize large-scale adoption of
conservation agriculture technologies like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD)
irrigation method in farming Boro rice to save water and increase rice output
at reduced costs," Ikbal said.

   He suggested farmers to irrigate Boro rice seedbeds at nights and
discharge the water in the mornings and keep their seedbeds under cover of
polythene sheets to save the tender seedlings from damage if the sweeping
cold wave situation deteriorates.

   "As the process of preparing seedbeds is nearing completion, most farmers
are preparing their crop lands to transplant Boro rice seedlings soon" Ikbal
added.

   Talking to BSS, farmer Ariful Haque of Najirdigar village in Rangpur said
he has completed preparing Boro rice seedbeds to begin transplantation of the
seedlings on his five acres of land after two weeks which will complete by
February 15 next.

   "As per suggestion of field level agriculture officers, I am currently
taking special care of growing tender plants of Boro rice seedlings so that
those were not affected by the mild cold wave currently sweeping over the
region," he added.

   Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh
Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid suggested farmers to complete transplantation of
Boro rice seedling on their croplands within February 15 to get maximum yield
rate.