Massive Rabi crops farming programme in districts

KISHOREGANJ, Dec 31: A massive programme has been undertaken to cultivate various Rabi crops on 8,300 hectares of land in the district during the current season, report agencies.

District Agriculture Extension Department (AED) sources said 4,000 hectares have been brought under mustard seeds cultivation programme in 13 thanas of the district with a production target of 3,600 metric tons.

The AED brought some 2,700 hectares under potato and 1,600 hectares under sweet potato with the production target of 32,400 and 19,200 metric tons respectively.

To achieve the target, AED and BADC have made arrangements to supply high yielding varieties of seeds, fertilizer, insecticides and power pumps at fair price among the farmers.

Besides, Bangladesh Krishi Bank and other commercial banks have already started disbursement of crops loan among the farmers for boosting production.

A report from Netrakona says: The prospect of potato cultivation is bright in Netrakona district this year. The farmers of the district have shown keen interest to cultivate potato to make up the losses caused by last floods.

Local AED office sources said a total of 1,500 hectares of land have been brought under potato cultivation in ten upazilas under the district with a production target of 18,000 tons of potato.

Of the total land, 150 hectares have been brought under potato cultivation in Kalmakanda upazila, 150 hectares in Durgapur, 180 hectares in sadar, 170 hectares in Purbadhala, 190 hectares in Kendua, 140 hectares in Mahanganj, 150 hectares in Barhatta, 150 hectares in Atpara, 170 hectares in Madan and 50 hectares in Khaliajury.

Another report from Kushtia says: Wheat cultivation may exceed the target in six thanas of the district in the current Rabi season.

The target was 40 thousand hectares but it may exceed up to 50 thousand hectares, sources said.

A report from Chuadanga says: Harvesting of cotton in the current season in Chuadanga zone of Bangladesh Cotton Development Board has just begun.

According to an official source, during the current season about three lakh 40 thousand maunds of cotton is expected to be produced in the zone area. During the current season, 7,700 hectares were brought under cotton cultivation in the zone.

The Chuadanga zone consists of Chuadanga sadar, Alamdanga, Damurhuda and Jibannagar thanas of Chuadanga district and Meherpur Sadar of Meherpur district.

The harvesting of cotton in the zone will continue till February next.

Besides, a total of 26,860 hectares of land will be brought under Boro cultivation in all the four thanas of Chuadanga district during the current Rabi crops cultivation season.

According to an official source, of the total land, 5,025 hectares will be brought under cultivation in Sadar thana, 8,770 hectares in Alamdanga, 7,400 hectares in Damurhuda and 5,665 hectares in Jibannagar.

The production target of Boro paddy in the district during the current season has been fixed at 1,70,000 maunds.

At present seeds plots are being prepared.