Rangpur: Farmers in the Rangpur agricultural region produced a record 16,27,141 tonnes of maize this year.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, officials from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) reported that the unprecedented output and favorable prices have brought satisfaction to farmers in the five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari, and Lalmonirhat.
Farmers are currently selling their harvested maize at rates ranging between Taka 950 and Taka 1,050 per mound, which is equivalent to every 40 kilograms. Earlier forecasts by the DAE had set a target of 13,28,993 tonnes of maize from 1,17,043 hectares of land for the region during the last Rabi season. In comparison, the target for the Kharif-1 season was 2,10,629 tonnes from 21,903 hectares.
Agriculturist Islam noted that farmers eventually cultivated maize on 20,592 hectares during the Kharif-1 season. The government supported the expansion of maize farming by providing special incentives, high-yielding varieties of maize seeds, fertilizers, and the latest technologies to small, marginal, and flood-hit farmers.
In recent years, many farmers in the districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari, and Lalmonirhat have achieved financial stability through maize cultivation. Farmers such as Abdul Aziz, Mozammel Haque, Abu Taleb, and Golzar Hossain from various villages in Rangpur reported excellent yields during the Kharif-1 season.
Md Mamunur Rashid, a PhD fellow at the Department of Agricultural Extension of Haji Mohammad Danesh University of Science and Technology, emphasized that the weather and soil conditions are favorable for maize cultivation, encouraging growers to invest in this profitable cash crop. As demand for maize continues to rise in the poultry farming and food industries, farmers are experiencing significant profits from their efforts.