Pariza paddy brings smile to farmers in Lalmonirhat

Cultivation of Pariza, a short duration paddy cultivated between boro and aman, brings happiness to a good number of farmers in the district.

Introduced five years ago, the variety was cultivated on 1,000 bighas of land at 40 villages in the district this year with advice and technical support from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University and NGO RDRS Bangladesh.

"I have been cultivating short duration Pariza paddy for the last four years. I got 14 maunds of yield from one bigha of land this season. I spent only Tk 2,000 for the additional crop," said Ismail Hossain, a farmer of Panchagram village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Motaleb Hossain, another farmer of the same village, said his eight bighas of land usually remains unused for three months between harvesting of boro and start of aman cultivation.

"This year I cultivated Pariza paddy on two bighas of land early May and I harvested it early August. Then I cultivated aman paddy in the same land," he said.

Chairman of Panchagram union parishad Delowar Hossain, also a farmer, said Pariza cultivation helps farmers to earn additional money but insects and birds often cause harm to it.

"As most of the lands remain empty during May to July, insects and birds attack Pariza fields, which are usually detached ones. If much more lands are brought under its cultivation, it would be less affected by insects and birds," he said.

Safayet Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Lalmonirhat, said the land which is usually used for boro and aman cultivation, is suitable for Pariza rice cultivation.

"The seedbed of Pariza is prepared around 15 days after harvesting of boro. Fifteen to 20-day-old seedlings are transplanted on well-ploughed land early May. It can be harvested in late July or early August," he said.