Harvest of Aus paddy continues in full swing now predicting bumper production in
northern Bangladesh this season, farmers, experts and officials in the Department of
Agriculture Extension (DAE) said.
According to the DAE sources, farmers have already completed Aus harvest in 77,700
hectares land, 33.5 per cent of the cultivated land area of 2,31,400 hectares, with
excellent yield rates and the process will complete by mid-September next in the region.
The DAE had fixed a target of producing 5,27,690 tonne Aus rice from 2,16,606 hectares
of land this time after the farmers got repeated bumper production of the off-season crop
during the past few consecutive seasons in the region.
Of the fixed target, the farmers were to produce 4,77,763 tonnes of high yielding variety
Aus rice from 1,78,200 hectares of land and 49,927 tonnes local variety Aus rice from
38,406 hectares of land this season.
However, the farmers have cultivated Aus on 2,31,400 hectares, which is 14,794 hectares
or 6.83 percent higher than the fixed cultivation target of bringing 2,16,606 hectares land
under its farming this season in the region.
To make the programme successful, the government distributed Taka 8.82 crore special
incentives among 68,430 farmers for enhancing Aus cultivation in the region this season,
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khandker M Mesbahul Islam said.
renowned rice scientist and Associate Director (Agriculture) of BRAC International
(South Asia and Africa) Dr M A Mazid said Aus farming have already become popular to
produce additional rice amid adverse climate in recent years.
Additional Director of the DAE Sikander Ali said the government has been encouraging
the farmers for enhanced Aus farming during the off-season when the cultivable lands
remain fallow after Boro harvest and before T-Aman transplantation.
The Aus crop becomes ready for harvest in 90-110 days, its cultivation requires less costs
with no supplementary irrigation as the plants grow well using natural rainwater bringing
more profits to the farmers, the experts said.
Farmers Mominul Haque, Abdur Rashid, Pradeep Kumar, Rezaul Karim and Ismail
Hossain said they have successfully cultivated Aus paddy at lower costs and already
completed harvest getting excellent yield rates this season. -BSS, Rangpur
