Netrokona, April 21 – The harvesting of Boro paddy started in the haor areas of Netrakona district in the current week. Officials of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Netrakona said, some 11, 450 paddy-cutting workers have been working in the haor areas of six Upazilas under the district to harvest the golden coloured ripe paddy on 40,865 hectors of land in these haor areas.
The workers are cutting the ripe paddy by maintaining social distancing and following health instructions to check the spread of pandemic coronavirus, officials said.
Farmers brought 40,865 hectors of land under Boro cultivation in the haor areas of six Upazilas under the district this season.
Of the total land, 33,645 hectors were brought under High Yielding Variety (HYV) of Boro paddy and 7,220 hectors of land under Hybrid variety of the paddy.
Meanwhile, farmers have completed harvesting of Boro paddy from 12,620 hectors of land in the haor areas.
“They are expecting bumper production of the Boro paddy after seeing a better rate of output,” said crops specialists of DAE, adding that the rate of yield of HYV variety of Boro.
The crops specialists informed that 1.67 lakh metric tons of Boro paddy is expected to be produced in the district’s haor areas if the climate remains favourable till the end of the harvesting period. Talking to BSS, deputy director of DAE Netrakona Habibur Rahman said, farmers of the district cultivated Boro paddy on a total of 1,84,530 hectors of land in 10 Upazilas, exceeding this year’s Boro cultivation target fixed at 1,83,870 hectors of land.
“It was possible by the farmers to cultivate Boro paddy on additional 660 hectors of land exceeding the Boro cultivation target as the weather condition remained favourable and the government ensured a proper supply of improved quality seeds, fertilizers, electricity, agricultural equipment and irrigational machinery to the door-steps of the farmers,” he said.
