Rangpur Region Expects Record Boro Rice Harvest

Farmers in Rangpur agricultural region are expecting a super bumper Boro rice harvest this season, thanks to excellent Boro rice plant growth amid frequent rains and almost no pest attacks, according to agriculture officials.

With necessary support from the government, farmers have cultivated Boro rice on more land than the fixed target, despite ongoing crop diversification, said the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
 
Earlier, the DAE had set an all-time 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 for Rangpur agricultural region during the current Rabi season.
 
"Farmers have finally brought 5,09,056 hectares of land under Boro rice farming slightly exceeding the seasonal target," Director of the DAE's Rangpur region agriculturist Md. Afzal Hossain told BSS today.
 
If favorable weather continues over the next few months, farmers will get a bumper harvest of Boro rice as rice plants are currently growing healthily and frequent rains are working as a tonic across the region, he added.

During a visit to the vast crop fields on Thursday, farmers were seen very busy taking care of their growing Boro rice plants and cleaning weeds in the region.

To make the Boro rice cultivation program a success, the DAE and other agriculture-related organizations and institutions are working tirelessly to provide the farmers with proper irrigation, fuel, fertilizer and electricity supply, and other facilities.
 
To boost Boro rice yield at lower costs and reduce underground water extraction, a target has been fixed to bring 1,01,811 hectares of Boro rice croplands under the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation method.
 
In addition, targets have been fixed to bring 50,906 hectares of land under the use of compost fertilisers, 3,05,434 hectares under use of balanced fertilisers, 5,09,056 hectares under the perching and 10,240 hectares under the light trap methods of pests management.
 
Around 4.9 percent of the Boro rice plants are currently in the tillering stage, 25.23 percent in the panicle initiation stage, 30.90 percent in the booting stage, 34.79 percent in the flowering stage, 4.86 percent in the milking stage, and 0.12 percent in the ripening stage, all growing superbly in the crop fields.

By adopting the eco-friendly perching method, farmers have set up bamboo poles or tree branches at regular intervals across 3,92,830 hectares of Boro rice fields. This allows birds to roost on them and feed on harmful insects, helping farmers naturally combat pest attacks.

"In the light trap method, farmers have placed pots filled with a mixture of water and detergent underneath a light source on 2,345 hectares of Boro rice fields. Being attracted by the reflection of light at night, harmful insects fall into the pots and die," the sources said.
 
Speaking to BSS, farmers Lokman Hossain Manik Mian, Azizul Islam, and Ariful Haque from the village of Najirdigar in Rangpur Sadar mentioned that they have made every effort to care for their growing Boro rice plants, aiming for a bumper harvest.

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

"The tender Boro rice plants, currently in the tillering, panicle initiation, booting, and flowering stages, are growing wonderfully in the favorable climatic conditions, predicting a super bumper production of the crop," Mofizar said.