Bumper Aman yield expected

Although Aman cultivation in Pirojpur has been delayed this year due to prolonged floods during the peak season of plantation, farmers and agriculture officials are expecting good yield as the district sees profuse flowering of the paddy plants.

The profuse flowering has kindled hope of good harvest, said farmers.

Four varieties of Aman--local, uphsi, boan and hybrid—have been planted. 

The growers said they usually complete planting Aman saplings within August every year. But this year, it has been more than a month delay in cultivating the paddy due to the prolonged floods.

"Generally production is hampered badly if local variety of Aman saplings is not planted in time," said Mintu Kazi, a farmer from Pattashi village in Indurkani upazila of the district.

But this year, profuse flowering of the paddy plants has kindled hope of good harvest although the plantation has been delayed, he added.

The farmers further added that severe pest attack worries them every year. But this year, there was no pest attack.

"Although the cultivation has been delayed this year, we are expecting good harvest of Aman as the paddy plants flowered hugely," said another farmer from Charkhali village in the same upazila.

"If no natural disaster occurs, we will get good production from the fields," he added.

The growers said Aman is the main crop in the southern areas of the country including Pirojpur. It fulfills the main demand of paddy in the district.

Indurkani upazila agriculture officer Humayra Siddiqua said despite the unfavourable weather during the season of plantation, they are expecting good yield as profuse flowers adorn the Aman plants.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), this year Aman paddy has been planted on 64,484 hectares of land this year. Among them, local variety has been cultivated on 51,520 hectares of land.

Last year, 64,188 hectares of land were brought under Aman cultivation and 1.8 tonnes of rice was produced in one hectare of land, it added.