Farmers getting higher yield using 'guti' urea

Farmers using 'guti' (granular) urea are getting increased yield compared to those applying conventional method of spreading urea on croplands.

This was disclosed in a daylong workshop organised by International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) at Sufia Kamal auditorium in the city Sunday.

The speakers said around 2.8 lakh farmers saving their 30 to 35 per cent fertiliser through successful adaptation of urea deep placement (UDP) could produce additional 74,000 tonnes rice in storm-hit 35 upazilas of Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Jhalakati, Pirojpur,

Bagerhut, Shariatpur and Madaripur districts.

Some 60 participants from administration, agriculture, food, bank, women affairs, social welfare, non-government and educational institutions, media sectors and stakeholders attended the programme under the two-year-long 'improved livelihood for storm-affected rice

farmers (ILSAFARM)' project.

The project was funded by United States Agency for International Aid (USAID) with the help of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

Nurun Nabi Talukdar, divisional commissioner, as chief guest attended the programme, presided over by Mashiur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Barisal.

Aftabuddin Khan, additional director, Department of Agricultue Extension, Barisal region, Mofizul Islam, senior agriculture specialist of IFDC Asia division, Grahamme Hunter, chief of the party, addressing the workshop claimed that the 'guti' urea project was a success as the production of paddy increased and consumption of urea fertiliser reduced.

The deep placement of large urea granules into puddle enhances the soil's nitrogen absorption capacity. It helps nitrogen to stay close to the roots of paddy plants, preventing urea from being washed away by rains or floods, claimed Mofizul Islam.

Speaking on the occasion, Mahfuza Begum, Sima Begum, Selina Begum, stakeholders of UDP project areas, said they cultivated lands using 'guti' urea and got three times better result than the lands cultivated by urea sprayed by hand in the traditional method and earned good amount of profit.

A section of participants, however, expressed the view that normal fertility of the land may shrink faster with the use of 'guti' urea instead of using organic compost fertiliser.

Ilyas Laskar, deputy commissioner of Jhalakati, raising question apprehended that the yield for the time being could be increased due to the use of 'guti' urea, but the normal fertility of the land would be reduced within a few years.

The organisers differing the opinion claimed the ministry of agriculture with technical assistance from the International Centre for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development has been implementing the Guti Urea Technology Extension Project in the country since November 2007 and any adverse effect is yet to be found since starting the project in February 2008.