Tamim Mannan, Tajumuddin (Bhola)

Due to short time and low cost, farmers are inclined to wheat cultivation in the fallow areas of Tajumaddin Upazila of Bhola district. Farmers are also likely to have bumper yields of cultivated wheat. As a result, a smile appeared on their faces. In several rural areas including the upazila, dark green wheat fields were seen swaying across the horizon.

Moklesh Mia, a wheat grower of Shambhupur Union Ward No. 5, said that this year I have cultivated wheat on 32 percent of the land. The production cost of wheat cultivation is much lower than that of rice.

That's why I planted wheat this year but the yield is also good. However, this year, government incentives for fertilizers and seeds have not been received from the agriculture office. So apart from regular maintenance of the land at own expense, pesticides have been specified to avoid various diseases including fungi. If there is no natural calamity, he is expecting a good yield of wheat this season.

Around the upazila wheat farmers, Nasir, Mosleuddin, Fazlu, Hossain and many others said that the cost of wheat cultivation is less than that of rice, and one does not have to pay nirani.

Moreover, the price of wheat is also high. So we are cultivating wheat. Farmers are expecting a bumper crop as the weather conditions are favourable. Wheat cultivation in Pratibigha land costs four to five thousand rupees. And in Pratibigha land, wheat is available at 14-15 maunds. At the same time, they are hoping that they will get good yield and price.

According to upazila agriculture department sources, wheat has been cultivated in Tajumaddin upazila in the current rabi season. This time Bari wheat- 30, 32 and 33 varieties of high yielding wheat have been cultivated on 200 hectares of land in five unions of the upazila. 20060 hectares more than the target has been cultivated. So far 80 hectares of land has been cut.

The yield per hectare is 3.2 due to the lack of attack by diseases and insects, the Farmers and Agriculture Department is expecting a bumper crop of wheat this season.

Upazila Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Md. Sirajul Islam said, to sell the crop produced by modern methods of wheat cultivation at the right price, the farmers at the local level work to display new varieties of wheat, provide training on the use of balanced fertilizers and ensure the supply of quality rich herbicides and hybrid varieties of seeds for pest control.

Our field officers are regularly visiting the fields and encouraging crop production through mass awareness among the farmers, Mr Islam added.