Farmers opt for wheat in 8 northern districts
Cultivation exceeds target
Wheat cultivation has exceeded target in eight northern districts this season as the farmers showed increased interest to the item for better profit.
A large number of the farmers, who incurred losses due to low market prices of paddy in both aman and irri-boro seasons in the last two years, have opted for wheat farming this year.
DAE officials, however, claimed that it was the result of their efforts to motivate farmers to switch over to wheat cultivation from irri-boro paddy to reduce use of ground water.
But farmers said they faced trouble in collecting quality seeds at the beginning of the season as Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) failed to ensure proper supply.
They overcame the situation by using locally preserved seeds and buying seeds from private companies at higher rates.
About 1,25,130 hectares of land have been brought under wheat cultivation against the target of 1,08,423 hectares with a production target of 3,03,584 tonnes in Rangpur Agriculture Zone, DAE officials said.
Of the total, farmers have cultivated wheat in Thakurgaon district on 60,500 hectares against the target of 58,427 hectares with a production target of 1,63,596 tonnes, in Panchagarh 16,550 hectares against the target of 11,358 hectares with a production target of 31,802 tonnes and in Dinajpur 20,425 hectares against the target of 16,446 hectares with a production target of 46,049 tonnes.
Farmers in Nilphamari cultivated 4,615 hectares against the target of 1,116 hectares with a production target of 11,525 tonnes, in Rangpur 3,260 hectares against the target of 3,111 hectares with a production target of 2,711 tonnes, in Gaibandha 3,385 hectares against the target of 2,067 hectares with a production target of 5,788 tonnes, in Kurigram 15,085 hectares against the target of 11,891 hectares with a production target of 32,175 tonnes and in Lalmonirhat it was 1,310 hectares against the target of 9,407 hectares with a production target of 3,940 tonnes.
"I had opted for wheat considering its growing demand and reasonable price in the market," said Hekmat Ali, 45, of Bothina village in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila.
Cultivation of wheat, requiring only three times irrigation, is much easier and less costly than irri-boro paddy cultivation, said Shamsuzzoha of Shakoya village in Boda upazila of Panchagarh district.
The per bigha production cost of wheat is Tk 5000 at the maximum while it needs around Tk 9,000 to 10,000 to cultivate irri-boro crops, he said.
Horticulturist Khondakar Mesbahul Islam of Rangpur told this correspondent over cell phone that they motivated farmers to cultivate wheat to reduce pressure on ground water.
Wheat cultivation areas increased as the DAE also took effective steps -- including providing adequate assistance of the latest technologies, inputs including quality seeds and fertilisers to the farmers, Mesbahul said.
Prolonged winter and timely irrigation help wheat plants in the area to grow fast, said Dr. Dinabandhu Pandit, principal scientific officer at Wheat Research Centre (WRC) in Dinajpur.
WRC has developed two new high yielding varieties of wheat -- Bari-26 and Bari-27. Both have already been introduced at the farmers' level and gaining popularity, Dr. Dinabandhu said.
Today, the farmers use high yielding varieties of wheat seeds, such as Shatabdi, Prodeep, Shourav, Bijoy, Gourab, Bari-26, Bari-27 developed by the WRC.
It is possible to get 4-5 tonnes of wheat per hectare of land if the farmers sow the seeds within proper cultivation period (till 10 December), Dr. Dinabandhu pointed out.
The country now produces 9 to 10 lakh tonnes of wheat per year against the demand of about 30.35 lakh tonnes, WRC officials said.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments