Rangpur:Agricultural experts have identified significant potential for increasing mustard cultivation in the Rangpur agricultural region by utilizing fallow land between the Aman and Boro rice seasons. This opportunity arises as rising edible oil prices offer farmers a chance to boost their income and enhance domestic oilseed production.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, more than half of the cropping patterns in the region follow the Aman rice-fallow-Boro rice cycle, resulting in substantial uncultivated areas between rice seasons. The Rangpur agricultural region, which includes the districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari, and Lalmonirhat, could benefit from cultivating mustard after short-duration Aman rice. This approach could increase cropping intensity, improve land-use efficiency, and reduce reliance on imported edible oils.
Krishibid Md Saiful Islam, the Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Rangpur, noted that farmers have transplanted Aman rice on 621,690 hectares this season, including over 100,000 hectares under short-duration varieties. The harvest of short-duration Aman rice has begun and will continue until mid-November, allowing for the timely sowing of mustard.
Saiful Islam suggested that farmers could adopt short-duration, high-yielding mustard varieties such as BARI Sarisha-14, BARI Sarisha-15, BARI Sarisha-20, and BARI Sarisha-21 to match local conditions and schedules, ensuring the subsequent Boro rice crop is planted on time.
In the 2025-26 Rabi season, the region saw mustard cultivation on 78,236 hectares, yielding 117,416 tonnes of seeds, though the DAE had aimed for 90,568 hectares. Timely sowing, quality seeds, and proper crop management were highlighted as key factors in optimizing land use and production.
Local market information indicates that mustard seeds are currently priced at Tk 3,800-4,000 per 40 kilograms, or approximately Tk 95-100 per kilogram.
Dr. Md Mamunur Rashid, a consultant for the Rupantar Project under the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Bangladesh, emphasized that cultivating mustard post-Aman rice could diversify farming systems and offer additional income to farmers. Expanding mustard within current cropping patterns could enhance farm profitability and lessen Bangladesh's dependence on imported oils like soybean oil, conserving foreign currency.
Farmers from Dolapara village in Taraganj upazila, Rangpur, and Uttar Beruband village in Jaldhaka upazila, Nilphamari, reported that they have harvested their short-duration Aman rice and plan to sow mustard by the end of October, continuing a practice they successfully employed last year.