Boro paddy production to set a new record: Agriculture Minister
Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque said that this year's Boro paddy production will set a new record if there are no natural calamities and the harvest is brought in on time.
The minister made this remark yesterday while exchanging views with farmers during the Boro paddy harvesting festival at Dekar Haor in Shantiganj upazila of Sunamganj.
Sunamganj District Administration and Agriculture Extension Office organised the event.
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The minister said, "Boro paddy has been cultivated in about 50 lakh hectares of land across the country. If there is no natural calamity and if the paddy can be brought home on time Boro will have record production."
"Currently, 35% of the paddy has been harvested, with about 1000 combine harvesters in use in Sunamganj alone. The government has taken steps to make Haor rice safe and worry-free, including providing combine harvesters with a 70% subsidy, and cultivating short-lived, cold-tolerant early varieties of rice," he also added.
Razzaque also urged farmers to cultivate highly productive new varieties such as Bri-81, Bri-89, and Bri-92 instead of the old Bri 28 and Bri 29 varieties.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, Boro has been cultivated on 50 lakh hectares of land this year, with a production target of 2 crores and 15 lakh tonnes of rice.
An incentive of Tk170 crore was given this year to increase Boro cultivation and production, benefiting about 2.7 lakh farmers across the country.
