The nation can achieve self-reliance on production of oil seeds through expanded cultivation of high yielding variety (HYV) of mustard using the latest agro-technologies, speakers at a farmers’ field day said.They said there is tremendous prospect of meeting edible oil demand of the country through increased production of the HYV oil seeds saving over Taka 5,000 crores annually and bringing its import to the zero level The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) organised the programme under Integrated Agriculture Productivity Project (IAPP) at the field of farmer Moslem Uddin in village Hajipara under Chilmari upazila in Kurigram for harvesting HYV BARI Sorisha-14 on Sunday afternoon.A total of 175 male and female project beneficiary framers, including 25 members of Hajipara Livelihoods Field School (LFS) under Patrokhata Block were present to witness harvesting of BARI Sorisha-14 on 30 decimals exhibition plot of farmer Moslem Uddin.Chilmari Upazila Agriculture Officer Nazrul Islam attended and addressed the occasion as the chief guest and formally inaugurated
harvest of the BARI Sorisha-14 with local farmer Abdul Bari in the chair.Assistant Professor Golam Mahbub, Assistant Agriculture Officer Alhaj
Abdul Bari Mandal, Sub-assistant Agriculture Officers of the DAE Sayeed Hossain Ansari and Rafikul Islam, addressed among others.The speakers narrated the technology for land preparation, application of fertilisers, necessary irrigation, agronomical and pests’ management for successful cultivation of the high yielding variety BARI Sorisha-14 to get maximum production.They also discussed the huge profits of adopting the mixed and
inter-cropping methods of crop farming with proper seed and pests’ management to increase production of oil seeds like BARI Sorisha-14 in the area.
They asked for expanded cultivation of HYV oil seeds evolved by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) in between the gap of harvesting short duration Aman and cultivation of Boro rice to get maximum yield and quality seeds.The chief guest said increased cultivation of HYV oil seeds adopting the latest technologies would not only boost production, but also meet the local demand of edible oil reducing dependence on import improving soil health simultaneously.Later, farmer Moslem Uddin got excellent production of 150 kilogram BARI Sorisha-14 after harvesting the crop on his 30 decimal exhibition plot with yield rate of 5 kilogram 1.235 tonne per hectare. – BSS, Rangpur
