RANGPUR, Jan 29, 2014 (BSS) – Transplantation of Boro seedlings gains momentum as the farmers have engaged their all- out efforts to make the farming programme successful in the northern districts this season, official sources said.
According to the sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the farmers have so far completed Boro seedling transplantation on 3,95,500 hectares of land, which is about 24.55 percent of the fixed target of 16.09 lakh hectares. Horticulture Specialist Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam of the DAE today told BSS that transplantation of Boro seedlings got momentum from today despite the farmers faced some hurdles amid sweeping cold wave in recent weeks. The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Agriculture
Research Institute, Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities, Teesta Barrage Project, Power Development Board (PDB), Rural Electrification Board (REB) and other organisations have taken adequate steps to make Boro cultivation programme successful this season.Under the programme, nearly six lakh pumps including power and diesel driven deep tube wells, shallow tube wells and low lift pumps have been put into operation for irrigating Boro
fields in the northern districts.According to the officials of DAE, BMDA, PDB and REB, there is no problem with the supply of diesel, power or fertilisers
anywhere in the northern districts now following comprehensive steps taken by the present government.The concerned agriculture related departments and research organisations have also taken comprehensive steps to ensure maximum facilities to the farmers, including delivery of the latest agriculture technologies for enhancing rice production this season.Noted rice scientist and Associate Director (Agriculture) of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr M A Mazid suggested farmers to complete seedling transplantation within February 15 to get maximum yield and to end the process by March 15.The government has fixed a record target of producing 64.03 lakh tonnes of Boro rice, 33.87 per cent of the fixed national production target of producing over 1.89 crore tonnes clean Boro rice from 47.80 lakh hectares of land in all 64 districts.Under the programme, the farmers will bring 16.09 lakh hectares of land under Boro cultivation in the northern distcits to produce 64.03 lakh tonnes rice during this Rabi season, the DAE sources said.Regional Additional Deputy of the DAE Sikander Ali told BSS that comprehensive steps have been taken for delivering of the latest technologies to the farmers for enhancing Boro rice production at lower costs.
