Rangpur farmers exceed Boro rice farming target, eyeing bumper yield

Enthusiastic farmers are expecting a bumper Boro rice yield after surpassing the fixed farming target in the Rangpur agricultural region during the current Rabi season.

Officials and experts from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) stated that the tender Boro rice plants are growing exceptionally well, creating a beautiful green landscape across vast tracts of crop fields, thanks to favourable climatic conditions.

With essential support from the interim government to ensure the success of the intensive Boro rice farming program, farmers have brought more land under cultivation, exceeding the fixed target despite efforts at crop diversification in the region.

"Farmers are extremely busy tending to their thriving Boro rice plants in all five districts of the region," said Agriculturist Md Afzal Hossain, deputy director of the DAE's Rangpur region, in a statement to BSS today.

Previously, the DAE had set a record target of producing 22,94,195 tonnes of clean Boro rice (34,41,292 tonnes of paddy) from 5,08,978 hectares of land in the Rangpur agricultural region during the current Rabi season.

"Farmers have ultimately brought 5,09,056 hectares of land under Boro rice cultivation, exceeding the fixed target by 78 hectares, or 0.02 percent," said Agriculturist Md Afzal Hossain.

The DAE and other agriculture-related organizations are working tirelessly to ensure smooth irrigation, fuel, fertilizer, electricity, and other resources to make the Boro rice farming program a success.

To conserve irrigation water and improve the production of more hygienic Boro rice at lower costs, a special programme has been implemented, introducing modern technologies to farmers this season in the region.

As part of the special programs, a target has been set to bring 1,01,811 hectares of Boro rice fields under the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation method.

Additionally, targets have been set to bring 50,906 hectares under the use of compost fertilisers, 3,05,434 hectares under balanced fertilisers, 5,09,056 hectares under perching, and 10,240 hectares under light trap methods for pest management.

Currently, around 11.80% of the tender Boro rice plants are in the recovery stage, 83.71% in the tillering stage, and 4.50% in the panicle initiation stage. The plants are growing superbly, forecasting a bumper yield.

"If the climatic conditions remain favourable in the coming months, farmers will achieve a record-breaking Boro rice production, as the tender rice plants are flourishing across the region," added Agriculturist Afzal Hossain.

Speaking to BSS, farmer Ariful Haque Batul from Najirdigar village in Rangpur Sadar shared that he has invested maximum effort into taking care of his Boro rice plants across six acres of crop fields to achieve bumper production this season.

Farmer Mofizar Rahman from Dolapara village in Taraganj upazila, Rangpur, expressed his gratitude to the interim government for ensuring the smooth supply of fertilizers, pesticides, diesel, power, and other essential facilities to make the Boro rice farming program a success.