Bumper mustard output expected in Jhenidah

JHENIDAH, Jan 16: Bumper mustard output is expected in the district this season as the weather so far has been favourable.

Farmers and agriculture officials said the weather so far has been favourable, besides standing crops show sign of good harvest.

Local Agriculture Extension Department had fixed a target to bring 8,000 hectares of land under mustard cultivation with a production target of 7,200 metric tons in the current season.

According to AED sources, the office had taken the target to produce 1,440 metric tons of mustard by cultivating 1,600 hectares of land in Sadar thana, 1,620 mt by cultivating 1,800 hectares in Kaliganj thana, 495 mt by cultivating 550 hectares in Kotchandpur thana, 1,800 mt by cultivating 2,000 hectares in Moheshpur thana, 1,170 mt by cultivating 1,300 hectares in Shailakupa thana and 675 mt by cultivating 750 hectares of land in Harinakundu thana.

Till December last year 1,291 hectares of land were brought under the programme in Sadar thana, 1,540 hectares in Kaliganj, 585 hectares in Kotchandpur, 2,280 hectares in Moheshpur, 1,180 hectares in Shailakupa and 489 hectares in Harinakundu thana of the district.

A good number of farmers have cultivated Sonali and Kalyani varieties of mustard, besides Tori-7 and Rai varieties.

Agrani and Safal varieties, invented by Bangladesh Atomic Research Institute, are also planted in the district.

In villages one can find everywhere yellow mustard fields stretching for acres of land.

Golam Rabbini, 45, a grower of village Dhaura in Shailakupa thana, said the weather so far has been favourable and he is expecting bumper production.

Agriculture officials said farmers are expecting good output as seeds, fertiliser and other inputs were supplied to them timely.

Last season 7,659 mt of mustard were produced by cultivating 8,215 hectares of land in the district.