Aman yield exceeds target in Moulvibazar

The production of aman paddy this season exceeded targets in seven upazilas of the district, much to the delight of farmers. 

The district's total aman yield this season has stood at 2.78 lakh tonnes against the target of 2.58 lakh tonnes, said Mohammad Shahjahan, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Moulvibazar.

Harvesting of the major crop in the area is nearly complete.

The success in production has been achieved despite the fact that aman paddy on thousands of hectares of land got damaged due to flood this year, especially in the haor areas in the district, said DAE officials.

Aman was cultivated on 97,360 hectares against the target of 96,473 hectares in the district this year.

Farmers Ishaq Ali and Ayub Ali of Kathaltoli village, and Golam Mostafa of Dakkhin Bazar area in Barlekha upazila, said aman plants were growing well following recent rainfall after a temporary drought-like situation.

Shahidul Islam, 24, at Bhuksimul village of Kulaura upazila, said he did not face any problem in plantation of aman seedlings as the frequent rainfall was helping a lot.

The area sees good yield of the crop  this season as the authorities concerned have taken steps to assist them, he said, adding that NGOs in the area distributed short-term loan to farmers for aman cultivation.

Mojnu Miah, 35, of Begbanpur in Hakaluki Haor area, said he got 50 maunds of paddy from his land.

Ashok Das, 48, of Khagtega village in Juri upazila, said he is feeling happy seeing the bumper output of aman paddy on his six bighas of flood-affected haor land.

Robi Das, 34, a farmer at Panchgaon village in Rajnagar upazila, cultivated aman paddy on his half acre of land. "I got 20 maunds of paddy spending Tk 5,000. I expect to earn net profit of Tk 4,000 to Tk 5,000 from selling the paddy," he added.

Farmers of other areas said they will also cultivate aus paddy due to less production cost and more profit.

Barlekha Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Kutub Uddin said aman was cultivated on 7,900 hectares of land against the target of 7,820 hectares in the upazila this year. The rain after the receding of floodwater was the reason for the bumper production, especially in haor areas, he added. Also, it was sunny while the aman plants were under floodwater, so the plants got the nutrients they needed, Kutub Uddin said.