This is for the first time some farmers of Ulipur under Kurigram district were sowing paddy seeds on the plastic trays and transplanting the paddy saplings using modern machinery. According to the Department of Agriculture, this process of sowing seeds and transplanting of saplings is known as 'Somoloy' (Equal alignment) process. Using this process of planting, farmers will get rid of the labourer crisis, save additional production cost and the time. The process of sowing seeds and transplanting of paddy saplings using this way has already created a huge interest among farmers and it is getting popular among the local farmers.
According to the Upazila Agriculture Office sources, primarily during the current IRRI-Boro season, the paddy seeds were sown on 4,500 plastic trays on about 35 decimals of land at Madhupur Bamonerhat area under Dharanibari union of the upazila. Using a special agriculture machinery composite fertiliser is mixed with the sandy soil. The saplings of the trays got ready for transplanting in the field within 25 to 30 days of sowing the seeds. Using the Rice Transplanter machine, the saplings of the paddy can be transplanted on the same depth which also increased the production and the all plants are ripened at the same time and the farmers can harvest home their crops at the same time. In the traditional process, it takes 145 to 160 days of time to sow seeds and to harvest the paddy but it will take a less time to harvest paddy transplanting through 'Somoloy' process.
Share cropper Abu Bakker Siddique of village Bamonerhat while talking to this Correspondent informed, earlier we sowed paddy in seed beds prepared in wet soil. This time, the seed beds are prepared using plastic trays. According to the advice from the department of Agriculture, we have prepared to transplant paddy saplings on 120 decimals of land using the 'Somoloy' process.
Farmers Chandan Sarker(50) and Amarendra Nath (61) of the same area informed that they sowed and transplanted paddy saplings using the 'Somoloy' process which is extremely cost effective. No chemical fertiliser has been applied and there was no damage of the seed beds during the cold winter. They hope to get a good harvest by using the process.
Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer of Bharanibari Block Hamidur Rahman informed, 9o farmers have been included under the project to cultivate 50 acres of land using the 'Somoloy' process. This process will require no extra labourer and all works will be conducted through machinery. Moreover, farmers will be able to harvest homes their crops earlier.
Ulipur Upazila Agriculture Officer Mosarraf Hossain informed the saplings of the paddy will be transplanted using the 'Rice Transplanter' machine.
The crop produced using 'Somoloy' process will be less infested by pests and be cut and threshed using the Combine Harvester machines.
This process will end the labouer crisis. The farmers will also be able to harvest homes their crops in a short time.
