Transplantation of Aman rice seedlings has already completed on 97.56 percent of targeted land area as the process is nearing completion despite inadequate rainfalls in Rangpur agriculture region this season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers have already transplanted Aman rice seedlings on 6,00,668 hectares of land, 97.56 percent of targeted land area for cultivation of the crop till Saturday.
"We are expecting to achieve the fixed farming target of Aman rice as transplantation of seedling of late varieties of the crop still continues," Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Emdad Hossain
Sheikh said.
The DAE has fixed a target of producing 18,07,916 tonnes of clean Aman rice (27,11,874 tonnes of paddy) from 6,15,685 hectares of land for all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur in the region this season.
The target includes production of 15,47,403 tonnes of high yielding varieties of Aman rice from 5,32,115 hectares, 2,24,765 tonnes of hybrid varieties of Aman rice from 64,035 hectares and 35,748 tonnes of local varieties of Aman rice from 19,535 hectares of land.
"Meanwhile, farmers have prepared Aman rice seedbeds on 33,501 hectares of land against the requirement of preparing the same on 30,469 hectares of land for cultivation of the crop on the targeted 6,15,685 hectares of land," Hossain said.
The government has taken special steps to ensure use of high quality seeds, prepare model seedbeds and ensure balanced fertilization and adoption of improved technologies to enhance rice production despite adverse impacts of climate change.
"Considering the possibility of floods, we had taken special measures to prepare more seedbeds so that the farming process of Aman rice was not affected under any circumstances," he said.
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities and farmers put their irrigation pumps into operation for transplantation of Aman rice seedlings amid less rainfalls or droughts.
Field level agriculture officials of the DAE are providing necessary assistance and latest technologies to farmers to ensure successful cultivation of Aman rice.
"More steps have also been taken like preparation of late varieties of Aman rice seedbeds on highlands and floating seedbeds in low-lying areas so that
there was no crisis of seedlings for floods," Hossain added.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said transplantation of Aman rice seedling got momentum since last month following seasonal rainfalls at most places.
"Though the transplantation process could not get momentum since the beginning of the season due to lack of seasonal rainfalls, farmers mostly used lifted underground water to transplant Aman rice seedlings on their lands," he said.
"However, farmers are expected to achieve the fixed farming and production targets of Aman rice following various pragmatic steps taken by the government this season in the region," Rashid said.
Farmers Ariful Haque and Ayub Ali of Rangpur, Abdus Salam and Aminul Islam of Kurigram, Asharf Ali and Nurul Amin of Lalmonirhat said that they already completed transplantation of Aman seedlings on their lands.
"Tender Aman rice plants are growing well on crop fields following frequent rainfalls alongside using lifted underground water by irrigation pumps," said farmer Echhahaq Ali of village Kathihara in Sadar upazila of Rangpur.
