Huge production of BRRI Dhan-33 expected in Rangpur

Tag : mustard leaf


BSS, Rangpur

Farmers are now very happy as they already started harvesting ofthe short duration and anti-Monga variety BRRI Dhan-33 (paddy) inGreater Rangpur on the eve of holy Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Pujafestivities.

They expressed satisfaction on the excellent yield rates of 4.5tonnes to 5.0 tonnes paddy per hectare so far though harvestingwill get full momentum a few days later, officials in theDepartment of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and farmers said.

The farmers of Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari andGaibandha districts cutivated the short duration paddy in 40,122hectares land this year, which is 122 hectares higher than that ofthe fixed target of 40,000 hectares for the area.

Farmer Abdur Rahman of Gangachara Upazila in Rangpur on Saturdaygot 4.5 tonnes per hectare BRRI Dhan-33 (paddy) after harvestingthe same and another farmer Tayebur Rahman will harvest the same inhis 82 decimals land there a couple of days later.

A partner NGO, Grameen Atto Unnayan Sangstha (GAUS), involved withBRRI Dhan-33 farming, will organise a two-day fair on farmingsuccess of the short duration paddy in village Laksmichap underSadar upazila in Nilphamari on October 16-17 next. The governmentlaunched large- scale farming of the short duration paddy this yearfor the first time as a part of the ongoing comprehensiveprogrammes for eradicating Monga by the year 2013 frompoverty-prone Rangpur area.

The short duration paddy has been cultivated on larger scale underthe GO-NGO collaborations as a part of its countrywide farming planto create job opportunities for the farm labourers during the leanperiod of Aswin and Kartik. Experts of Bangladesh Rice ResearchInstitute (BRRI) and DAE today told BSS that plantation ofseedlings and sowing seeds of the 115- to 118-day duration BRRIDhan-33 (paddy) was completed timely using the latest technologies.

Principal Scientific Officer of BRRI and Programme Coordinator of'BRRI-Model Monga Mitigation Programme for Greater Rangpur' DrAbdul Mazid told BSS that the crop grew well and its huge scaleharvest will begin a couple of days later. The farmers plantedseedlings and directly sowed seeds of BRRI Dhan-33 using dry andwet Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) methods from the end of June last andits harvesting will be ended by the middle of November next.

The government undertook a 3-year Special Action Plan to bring1,07,000 hectares of lands suitable for farming BRRI Dhan-33 undercultivation by the year 2010 to harvest about five lakh tonnes ofpaddy in only 115 to 118 days in Rangpur area, he said.

Practical trainings were provided to the agriculture officers onthe latest technologies of farming the BRRI Dhan-33, using LeafColour Charts, Guti Urea, integrated pests management methods,properly sowing of the seeds and nurturing the fields.

The trained agriculture officers educated over one-lakh farmers atthe grassroots level to acquaint them with the technologies ofgrowing this variety of paddy for making the programme a successthis year.

Dr Mazid said over 3.81 lakh farm labourers would now get jobs for45 days during the Aswin and Kartik months this year in GreaterRangpur and the early harvests of the paddy are already at homesduring the Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja festivities. The farmers willget more profits as cultivation of BRRI Dhan-33 would be followedby the relay-method growth of early variety crops like potato,moog, winter vegetables, maize and mustard.

The technology, evolved by the BRRI, could also increase overallcrop production and reduce risk of natural calamities andsubstantially save fuel and leave less negative impact on naturebecause of the new pattern of crop farming throughout the year.

Over 19 lakh farm labourers will get jobs during the Monga by theyear 2010 when the targeted lands would be brought under BRRIDhan-33 farming and 43 NGOs are working with the governmentdepartments to make the Special Action Plan a success, Dr Mazidtold.