For the first time in the Bandarban, at Kalingabeel field under Lama upazila, Boro paddy is being cultivated on 50 acres of land owned by 74 farmers by following 'Somoloy' process under the Agriculture Incentive Programme of the Ministry of Agriculture of Banderban district.
Ka Sa Pru, Convener of the Agriculture Department and Member of Parbattya Zila Parishad inaugurated the process of Boro cultivation using the Somoloy process for the first time on January 31 at noon.
He said the government is continuing the modernisation of Agriculture so that farmers could produce more crops using modern machinery. He further said the government will always remain beside the farmers.
The inaugural function was attended, among others, by MM Shahnewaz, Deputy Director of Banderban Agriculture Extension Department, Hasan Ali, Additional Deputy Director, Mostafa Zamal, Lama Upazila Chairman, Zahirul Islam, Mayor of Lama Municipality, Zahed Uddin, Vice-Chairman of Lama Upazila, Milki Rani Das, Woman Vice-Chairman, Ashrafuzzaman Sohel, Agriculture Officer of Lama Upazila, and Avijit Borua, Deputy Assistant Officer.
Nazmul Hasan Samir (42), a farmer of Somoloy Farming, Scheme Manager informed, 74 farmers including himself have been brought under Somoloy process of farming. Farmers are not being paid to a single penny, all costs are being borne by the Department of Agriculture.
Farmer Monghla Ching Marma(42) has cultivated Boro paddy on 60 decimals of land. He informed all the work, including making of seed bed, preparing land, killing of pests, cleaning of weeds and reaping of paddy will be done simultaneously and the produced paddy will be distributed among the farmers accordingly.
Altaf Hossain (32) has cultivated Boro on 60 deciomals of land. He informed, cultivation of crop using the Somoloy process will save the crop from pest attack.
Ashrafuzzaman Sohel, Lama Uapzila Agriculture Officer informed, the cultivation of crop using Somoloy Process started in the country 3-4 years ago but this is for the first time, the process is being applied at Kalingbeel area under Lama Upazila.
SM Shahnewaz, Deputy Director of Banderban Agriculture Extension Department said, Boro paddy on 50 acres of land as a Block Exhibition has been cultivated through using 'Somoloy' process at Kalingabeel field. By using the modern techology and using agriculture machinery the latest variety of paddy has been cultivated here experimentally. If the process proves success, it will be extended in other upazilas gradually. He further informed the target of producing 6,230 hectares of land have been set up to cultivate Boro paddy in the upazila during the fiscal year 2023-2024.
