Bumper and desired production of T-Aus varieties locally known as Barshali Dhan had been achieved in the district during the current season.Office sources said, the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) set a target to farm the varieties on 1,682 hectares of land this year.
But, the target fixed by the department was exceeded and at last 4,800 hectares of land were brought under the farming, sources said.
Asked about the target exceeding of the T-Aus farming in the district the DAE officials said incentive distribution by the present government is one of the main reasons for it.
Besides, the farmers of the district were motivated by the agri officials
particularly filed level sub assistant agriculture officers (SAAOs) of DAE to cultivate the T-Aus varieties on their land this year.
Based on the motivation and the suggestion of the agri-officers, the farmers farmed the T-Aus varieties on 4,800 hectares of land in all the seven upazilas of the district during the current season.
The varieties include BRRI Dhan 28, BRRI Dhan 42, BRRI Dhan 43, BRRI Dhan
48, BR 26, parija, and Qudrat, said an official of the DAE.
Actually, there is no variety in the name of Barshali Dhan. Mokbul Hossain Sarker, a SAAO of Kamarjani union under Sadar upazila said adding that as the varieties are farmed during the rainy season, the farmers call it Barshali Dhan locally.
Acting deputy director of DAE Showkat Osman said after completing the harvest of Boro paddy the land was totally useless and fallow for three months and no crops were cultivated in the land until starting the T-Aman paddy cultivation.
If the 20-22 days old seedlings of Barshali Dhan were transplanted on the land just after harvesting the Boro paddy at Baishakh month, the farmers could harvest it at the end of Srabon and at the first week of Bhadra, he also said.
In this way, a farmer could get three crops including T-Aman paddy, Boro paddy in a year easily and be economically benefited side by side with achieving food security for the country and creating employment to farm day labours during the lean period, he added.
M. Lal Miah, a farmer of Barobaldia village under Sadar upazila, said he farmed the T-Aus variety on two bighas of land this year and got desiredoutput against the crop in the gap of the Boro and Aman season, reports BSS from Gaibandha.
