RANGPUR, Jan 6, 2022 (BSS) - Farmers are expecting a bumper production
of mustard in Rangpur agriculture region as its harvest will begin from the
next month during the current Rabi season.

     Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said the
flowering mustard plants have given a fascinating yellowish look to crop
fields and nature amid superb climatic conditions pleasing farmers and common
people.

     The DAE has fixed a target of producing 53,733 tonnes of mustard from
38,710 hectares of land for all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha,
Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in the region this season.

     "The fixed production target of 53,733 tonnes of mustard for this season
is higher by 2,191 tonnes than the production of 51,542 tonnes of last
season," Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md.
Mahbubur Rahman told BSS today.

     Farmers have finally cultivated mustard on 38,633 hectares of land this
season.

     The government has distributed quality mustard seeds and fertilizers as
special incentives among flood-affected small and marginal farmers to
cultivate mustard on one bigha of land each to recoup crop losses they
incurred during last year's floods.

     Despite a little shortfall of only 77 hectares of land against the fixed
farming target this year, farmers are expected to exceed the fixed production
target of mustard following cultivation of its high yielding varieties of the
crop on more land.

     Farmers have mostly cultivated high yielding varieties of mustard like
'Tori 7', BARI-9, BARI-14, BARI-15 and BINA-4 on more land area and excellent
growth of the crop plants predicts bumper production.

     After getting excellent production with lucrative prices between Taka
3,000 and Taka 3,200 per mound (every 40 kg) last year, farmers have shown
more interest in cultivating the highly profitable crop this season.

    "The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Bangladesh Institute
of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and other agri-related organizations have
extended assistance to farmers to make the extensive mustard cultivation
programme a success," Rahman added.

    Farmers Mokhlesur Rahman, Shamsul Haque and Abdul Gafur of different
upazilas in Rangpur said they are expecting a bumper production of mustard
this season.

     Farmers Manik Mian of village Darshona in Rangpur Sadar said he sowed
mustard seeds after harvesting short duration Aman rice on the same land and
is expecting to harvest the crop from mid-February next.

     Talking to BSS, Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS
Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said farmers have cultivated mustard on the vast
char areas alongside the mainland this time after getting repeated bumper
output in recent years.

     "Farmers are expanding cultivation of mustard adopting newer cropping
patterns after getting repeated bumper output and lucrative market prices in
the last 12 years," Rashid said, and predicted a bumper production of the
highly profitable crop this season.