Addl 3,000 hectares of fallow land brought under Boro cultivation

Around 3,000 hectares of land in Kalapur union of Srimangal upazila in Moulvibazar remained fallow during the Boro season every year due to lack of water.

But this year, the vast tract of land has been brought under Boro cultivation thanks to the initiative of Moulvibazar Agriculture Department. The initiative has achieved great success and the farmers are happy with the bumper crop.

Now the farmers are only waiting to take home the harvest.

The Srimangal Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) was able to bring the land under cultivation by bringing water from Shaon Chhara (stream) after holding several meetings with the farmers to increase agricultural production during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Department of Agriculture provided free hybrid paddy seeds, fertilizer, water and other necessary tools.

Along with hybrids, some varieties of rice BRRI 88, BRRI 89 and BRRI 92 varieties were sown. The agriculture department also paid special attention to the lands during cultivation. And the farmers are happy with the field full of ripe paddy after 140 days of proper care and hard labour.

Juber Mia, a farmer from Meen Nagar village, who has cultivated fallow land, said, "I have planted boro paddy for the first time on my land this year with the advice and assistance of the agriculture department."

The government has provided water, fertilizer and hybrid paddy seeds to cultivate the land, he also said.

Farmer Abdur Rafi has also cultivated fallow land. He said that this is the first time he has cultivated hybrid with encouragement.

"I couldn't even think that it would yield so much. Seeing this yield, all the fallow lands of this area will come under cultivation in future. Especially, if we get water, there will be three crops here," he said.

He also called for maintaining the supply of hybrid seeds.

Srimangal Upazila Agriculture Officer Nilufar Yasmin Monalisa Sweety said that she first conducted a survey on how to bring the fallow lands of Srimangal upazila under production. She held several meetings with the farmers of the area. She also involved public representatives in the process.

She said, "We very satisfied seeing the smiles on the faces of the farmers after four months of hard work."

She said that in addition to this area in Srimangal upazila, several other such areas have been brought under cultivation. As a result, the production of Boro paddy in Srimangal upazila will increase a lot this time.

Kazi Lutful Bari, deputy director of DAE in Moulvibazar, said Boro was planted in 57,345 hectares of land in Moulvibazar district this year, which is 3,000 thousand hectares more than the previous year.

Hybrid seeds were distributed free of cost to 26,800 farmers this year to encourage increased production during the Corona period. He said that the yield has been very satisfactory.