An initiative has been taken in Jhalakathi to use organic fertiliser and pesticide to produce poison-free boro paddy this year instead of
chemical pesticides.Two farmers of Jhalakathi municipality block cultivated BRRI-28, 29, 37 and Bhojan varieties of paddy on three bighas of land.
Of the three bighas, they used organic fertiliser and pesticide in 1.5 bighas and got good yield.
An organisation named South Bangla Krishi Unnayn Sangstha manufactured organic pesticide with Neem, Bel, Bishkathali leaves, fruits of mahagony and detergent powder.
It manufactured organic fertiliser through use of cow dung, peels of banana, tea leaves, bone dust, hyacinth and ashes.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) wants to see the results of the organic fertiliser and pesticide produced by South Bangla Krishi Unnayn Sangstha on test basis and then expand their use among the general farmers.
Farmer Mamun Mridha who used the organic fertilier and pesticide in his land expressed satisfaction and said he has got good production.
South Bangla Krishi Unnayn Sangstha director Golam Kibria Pannu claimed that poison-free paddy production is possible by using this
organic fertiliser and pesticide.
Sadar upazila agriculture officer Chinmoy Roy said farmers have cultivated poison-free paddy by using the organic fertiliser and
pesticide.
But the DAE wants to encourage use of the fertiliser and pesticide only after observing their activities for a few more years.
(UNB, Jhalakathi)
