Farmers leaning towards cultivating extinct Aush : Cultivation on additional 4,542 hectares of land this season in Dinajpur
Mahidul Islam Ripon, Dinajpur
Due to favorable weather conditions and the use of modern agricultural technology, the district has achieved aus paddy yield on 12 hectares of land in excess of the target this year. Compared to last year, it has been possible to achieve aus paddy cultivation on 4,542 hectares of land this year, according to the Agriculture Department.
Dinajpur District Agricultural Extension Department Additional Deputy Director (Training) Md. Mostafizur Rahman confirmed this information on Wednesday.
He said, this year, the agriculture department had set a target of cultivating Aus paddy on 9,900 hectares of land in the district. With favorable weather conditions and proper advice and intensive care from the field officers of the agriculture department, the farmers have been able to cultivate Aus paddy on an additional 12 hectares of land. As a result, this year, Aus paddy cultivation has been achieved on 9,912 hectares of land in 13 upazilas of the district.
He also said that the Agriculture Department's initiative to create interest among farmers in cultivating Aush rice, which had almost become extinct in the past, has been successful.
Deputy Director Md. Mostafizur Rahman said that the cultivation of the improved and high-yielding upashi variety Bri-98 Aush paddy, which was invented in the research of the Agriculture Department two years ago, has resulted in higher yields in the district. In the current season, a target of cultivating Aush paddy on 9,900 hectares of land in 13 upazilas of the district was set. At the beginning of the season, free seeds of the newly invented Bri-98 variety of Aush paddy, chemical fertilizers and pesticides were distributed among 7,350 farmers in 13 upazilas of the district in May.
The Agriculture Department said that the field officers of the Agriculture Department in 13 upazilas of the district have been able to achieve success in Aush rice cultivation by providing round-the-clock support to the farmers.
Former UP member of Chehelgazi Union of Sadar Upazila of the district, Md. Rafiqul Islam said that farmers in two villages of Karnai and Nashipur have cultivated the Bri Dhan-98 variety of Aush rice on a cooperative basis. The farmers are very happy to be able to harvest the rice crop achieved within 3 and a half months of Aush rice cultivation.
He said that 75 to 80 maunds of paddy have been produced in one acre of land. The uncultivated land has become more productive by using free seeds, fertilizers and pesticides provided by the Agriculture Department for paddy cultivation. In the current market, raw paddy is being sold at a price of 1,500 to 1,100 taka per maund. Additional money is being earned by selling the straw of Aus paddy. As a result, farmers are able to raise a part of their expenses by selling straw along with selling paddy.
Md. Khademul Islam (45), an ideal farmer of Enayetpur village in Birol upazila of the district, said, 'In the middle of May this year, I had prepared a seedbed in the land and planted seedlings of the Bri-98 variety of Aush rice. With the regular advice of agricultural officers, irrigation, fertilizer and pesticides have yielded a good yield.
Paddy harvesting is likely to be completed within the next week. After harvesting the paddy, the farmers will start preparing for early variety potato cultivation in the same land. To implement this goal, the farmers, with the help of the Agriculture Department, have planned to harvest the Aush paddy and cultivate potatoes again in the same land.
Farmers from Binyakuri and Bhiayil villages in Chirirbandar upazila of the district say that the new variety of high-yielding Aush rice has brought them success in cultivation.
Md. Abdur Rahman (48), a farmer from Binyakuri village, said that this year he cultivated Aush paddy on 78 acres of land. He got 67 maunds of Aush paddy from the land he acquired. He will sell that paddy and cultivate early variety potatoes. Almost all the farmers in the area are hoping to cultivate more Aush paddy of this variety next year.
Dinajpur Sadar Upazila Agriculture Department Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Md. Abdul Matin said, "Since the land in this region is a little high and has red soil, it was used for cultivation of only Rabi crops. Aman or Eri-Boro rice was not cultivated here. The government has started cultivating improved varieties of Aush rice by motivating farmers.
Sadar Upazila Agricultural Extension Officer Md. Rakibul Islam said, this season, more Aush paddy has been produced in 972 hectares of land in Sadar Upazila. Farmers have got good yields in a short time by cultivating the improved variety of Aush paddy, which is almost extinct. I
Deputy Director of the District Agricultural Extension Department Md. Afzal Hossain said that he has visited the paddy fields of the improved variety BR-98 AUS paddy in almost every upazila of the district in the last few days. He was impressed by the high yield of the paddy fields acquired by the farmers.
