Rangpur: Despite drought-like conditions due to low rainfall during the initial stages of seedling transplantation, farmers have already exceeded the set target for Aman rice cultivation by 0.04 percent in the Rangpur agricultural region. Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) noted that the transplantation of Aman rice seedlings will conclude by September 15, with recent rainfalls contributing to healthy plant growth and optimism among farmers.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the DAE officials reported that farmers have transplanted Aman rice seedlings on 6,20,678 hectares of land, achieving 100.04 percent of the targeted area for cultivation as of Wednesday. The Acting Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region, Md Sirajul Islam, stated that farmers are likely to increase the cultivated area further as seedling transplantation continues until September 15.
The DAE has set a target to produce 20,10,505 tonnes of clean Aman rice (30,15,757 tonnes in terms of paddy) from 6,20,430 hectares across the five districts in the region for this season. This includes the production of 16,85,683 tonnes of high yielding varieties from 5,24,070 hectares, 3,14,162 tonnes of hybrid varieties from 85,450 hectares, and 20,660 tonnes of local varieties from 10,910 hectares.
To support this goal, the interim government, through the DAE, distributed high-quality Aman rice seeds and fertilizers to small and marginal farmers. Initiatives were also taken to prepare seedbeds for late varieties in highlands and floating seedbeds in low-lying areas to mitigate the risk of seedling shortages due to potential floods in August and September.
Field-level agricultural officers are providing necessary support and technology to ensure successful cultivation. Organizations like the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation and Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities have been instrumental, along with farmers, in operating irrigation pumps to provide supplementary irrigation to the fields.
Farmers from various villages in Rangpur expressed satisfaction with the growth of their Aman rice plants amid favorable weather conditions. Manik Mia from Darshona village stated that the tender rice plants have created lush green fields, signaling a possible bumper production despite earlier drought-like conditions.
Md Mamunur Rashid, a PhD Fellow in the DAE at Dinajpur, highlighted the farmers’ success in achieving the target despite adverse conditions. He emphasized that a bumper crop is likely as the plants continue to thrive following recent rains.