TANGAIL, Aug 19, 2023 (BSS) - Fast-growing and high yielding T. Aus rice variety 'BRRI dhan 98' has huge potential in the country as it is one of the best yield performers having 25-30 mounds production in per bigha land of this Aus season-July-August.

"Generally rice ripens in 140-160 days. If a rice variety ripens in 90-100 days, it is considered a very potential one. BRRI 98 aus paddy appears with such potentials as it is being grown in 90-100 days and 25-30 mounds per bigha," said Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque.

He added: "If this rice variety can be spread all over the country, it will contribute a lot to ensure food security in this densely populated country having 17 crore people where agricultural land is dwindling gradually."

The minister said this while visiting an aus paddy field of BRRI 98 variety at Mushuddi village under Dhanbari upazila in the district this afternoon.

Razzaque said growers are now very much reluctant in breeding aus paddy due to lack of quality varieties as well as drought, flood and heavy rainfall but production of Boro and Aman paddy has increased.

Local researchers have already invented fast-growing advanced varieties of aus paddy, he added.

He underscored the need for popularizing BRRI 98 paddy variety at grassroots to increase the production of aus.

On the occasion, grower Iqbal shared his plan of producing four crops in a year from same land.

He said he (Iqbal) harvested the BRRI 98 paddy within 98-100 days including 20 days of rice seedlings plantation. Earlier, he cultivated BRRI-96 variety in this Boro season-early February in the same land, the farmer said.

Now, he would breed BRRI 75 in Aman season-September-November and after harvesting Aman, he would cultivate fast-growing mustard plant, he added.