There has been a bumper production of the advanced varieties of BRRI-71 and BRRI-75 paddy due to favourable weather in Saronkhola under the Bagerhat district. Farmers informed, they are also getting a satisfactory price for the paddy.
The farmers have already started to reap the paddy. These varieties of Paddy have been cultivated in Saronkhola for the last two to three years. After reaping the paddy, the farmers will cultivate green vegetables, mustard, maize and paddy in the field.
Mostafa Mashiul Alam, Crop Preservation Officer of Saronkhola Agriculture Office informed, a total of 9,250 hectares of land have been brought under paddy cultivation in the upazila this season, of those, advanced varieties of paddy have been cultivated on 75o bighas of land in the upazila. These varieties of paddy can be reaped within 110 to 115 days after the cultivation and the attack of pests and insects is also less. Farmers have got a satisfactory production of paddy this season. A total of 30 to 35 maunds of paddy have been produced in a bigha of land. The cost of farming of the land from the cultivation of paddy to the reaping is Taka 15,000 per bigha. Farmers are selling these varieties of paddy at Tk 1,000 per maund.
Masud Mir of Uttar Rajapur village under Rayenda union of the upazila informed, he cultivated BRRI-71 and BRRI-75 varieties of paddy on four bighas of his land and he was happy with the bumper production of the crop. He further mentioned, it costs him Taka 30,000 to cultivate the paddies and he hopes to sell the produced paddy at Tk 70,000 to 80,000 at the present market rate.
Farmers of Nazrul Islam Haolader, Kalam Khand, Abul Molla, Khokon Molla and Wahed Khan of Kadomtola village informed, they did not witness such a bumper production of paddy during the last two-year. They hope earn a huge profit by selling the paddy. Many farmers of the village are showing interest to cultivate these varieties of advanced paddy during the next time.
Debabrata Sarker, Upazila Agriculture Officer informed, due to favourable weather, there was no damage of crop this year. More paddy of the varieties will be cultivated during the next time as farmers are earning huge profit by selling these varieties of paddy.