22.5 tonnes of Boro yield expected in 10 south-western dists

24 January 2009, 18:00 PM

Amanur Aman, Kushtia

The Agriculture Extension Department (AED) is expecting achievement of production target of 22,40,63 tonnes of Boro rice in 10 south-western districts under Khulna division in the current season. This year the production target in Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Magura, Jessore, Narail, Bagerhat, Satkhira and Khulna districts is 40,063 tonnes higher than last year's, said AED officials in the division. They said farmers are expected to cultivate Boro on 5,64,700 hectares of land. In last season, they cultivated 5.34 lakh hectares of land. Of the total, hybrid Boro will be cultivated on 1,65,000 hectares, high yielding varieties on 3,94,245 hectares and local varieties on 5,455 hectares. The highest target of cultivation has been set for Jessore district where 1,53,185 hectares will be brought under Boro cultivation, while the lowest 25,000 hectares in Meherpur. Areas under the cultivation are 89,514 hectares in Jhenidah, 40,400 hectares in Magura, 24,275 hectares in Narail, 17,000 hectares in Khulna, 37,101 hectares in Bagerhat, 71,120 hectares in Satkhira, 34,200 hectares in Kushtia and 35,230 hectares in Chuadanga. In last season bacterial infection affected 14,229 hectares of yielded paddy. Two types of bacteria attacked the field -- Bacterial Leaf Streak and Bacterial Leaf Bright, locally known as Pata Pora disease in several districts in the division. Despite some damage caused by infection, overall production target is expected to be achieved as the farmers cultivated more 30,000 hectares of land this year, AED officials said. “Farmers in the region have already started plantation without any trouble,” Kamal Sariful Haq, deputy director of Khulna AED, said over cell phone yesterday. Prices of fertilizers are also now within the capacity of the farmers, he said. However, farmers in the region are facing some troubles including scarcity of paddy saplings, high price for supplying water by pump owners and not getting of non-urea at the subsidized price. During this correspondent's visit to a few areas in the region including Meherpur, Chuadanga and Kushtia districts, farmers said they are facing trouble to collect saplings of paddy that are selling at high prices. Besides, power pump owners are realizing high price for irrigation in different areas of the region. Farmers said they are to pay one-fourth of reap paddy for supplying water to one bigha since the process of cultivation of the field. On an average, one-fourth of reap paddy amounts to four maunds and its price is Tk 2200 to 2400. Farmers termed the price too high while several pump owners told this correspondent that it is their tradition for years. They also showed plea of diesel price. Farmers said they are still not getting the subsidised rates of non-urea fertilisers as dealers of different areas are selling these for different prices. Several dealers said they purchased a bag (of 50 kg) TSP at Tk 3475, a bag of MoP at Tk 2160 and DAP at Tk 4500. They have to incur loss of Tk 1475 if they are to sell a bag of TSP at Tk 2000 as per the government order and that of Tk 410 in case of MoP and Tk 2250 in DAP. In some areas, the local sub-dealers are requesting farmers to buy the fertilisers with giving them a minimum price so that they are not to incur gross loss, said several farmers. The Boro farmers are apprehending losses if the prices of saplings, fertilisers and irrigation are not controlled. Because they think that price of rice would decline after this Boro harvesting.