Rajshahi: Farmers in Rajshahi district have begun transplanting Boro seedlings with a target of producing more than 329,000 tonnes of paddy during the current season. Across the fields of the Barind region, farmers are busy planting seedlings, turning the countryside into a seasonal festival of cultivation.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, farmers in the district’s nine upazilas have set a target to cultivate Boro on about 68,300 hectares of land this season. From morning till evening, farmers are engaged in uprooting seedlings from seedbeds and transplanting them into the fields. The nine upazilas include Tanore, Godagari, Mohanpur, Bagmara, Paba, Durgapur, Puthia, Bagha, and Charghat.
Boro transplantation began in January and will continue until March 31. Despite the cold weather at the beginning of the season, farmers started preparing seedbeds and transplanting seedlings. Officials said Boro cultivation activities are particularly vibrant in the fields of Godagari, Tanore, Paba, and Mohanpur, where farmers are hopeful of achieving a good harvest.
Matiur Rahman, a farmer from Darusha in Paba upazila, mentioned facing difficulties in preparing seedbeds due to unusually cold weather earlier in the season. He noted that following agricultural officials’ advice, seedlings were covered with polythene sheets to protect them, resulting in strong seedlings and hope for a good yield.
However, rising production costs are a concern for many farmers. Shafiqul Islam, a farmer from Tanore upazila, said that increasing prices of diesel and fertilizers are raising cultivation expenses. He emphasized the need for government intervention to ensure fair paddy prices for the survival of sharecroppers.
This season, there is also a growing interest among farmers in modern farming methods and high-yielding varieties. Alongside popular varieties such as BRRI dhan-28 and BRRI dhan-29, farmers are cultivating newly developed high-yielding varieties, including BRRI dhan-89, BRRI dhan-92, and zinc-enriched BRRI dhan-100. Nurul Islam, a farmer from Godagari, expressed optimism about higher yields from these new varieties.
Irrigation remains a significant challenge in the Barind region, but the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority has assured uninterrupted irrigation facilities during the season. Farmers have also urged authorities to ensure an adequate supply of fertilizers in the market.
Mita Sarkar, additional deputy director of the Rajshahi District DAE, stated that nearly half of the targeted land has already been brought under Boro cultivation. She expressed hope for completing transplantation according to the target and mentioned field-level guidance and incentives being provided to farmers.
Meanwhile, officials said around 37.25 lakh tonnes of Irri-Boro rice are expected to be produced from about 8.19 lakh hectares of land in the eight districts of Rajshahi division this season. The DAE has set a target of producing 17.23 lakh tonnes of rice from 3.66 lakh hectares in the Rajshahi Agricultural Zone and 20.02 lakh tonnes from 4.53 lakh hectares in the Bogura Agricultural Zone.
Dr Azizur Rahman, additional director of the DAE, highlighted efforts to protect seedbeds from cold weather and strengthen food security in the region. The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute has also taken initiatives, including training, demonstration plots, and supplying high-yielding varieties to growers. Dr Muhammad Hossain, chief scientific officer of BRRI, stated that the institute has developed 14 Boro varieties suitable for the Rajshahi region.