Acute seedling crisis hits Boro farming

A shortage of seedlings has badly affected boro farming in 12 upazilas of Tangail district in the current season. The targeted transplantation of seedlings and production may not be achieved, as seed-beds have been affected by cold injury and root-damaging diseases have wrought havoc.

A source in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Tangail disclosed that the department had aimed to bring 166,897 hectares of land under boro cultivation during the current season, with a production target of 656,185 metric tonnes of rice in 12 upazilas of the district. The DAE fixed a target to bring 8,354.49 hectares of land under seed-beds. It has been learned that 2,213 hectares of land have been selected to be brought under high-breed farming, with a production target of 10,535 metric tonnes of rice. A total of 110.65 hectares of land were targeted for seed-beds. A total of 163,893 hectares of land have been brought under high-yielding varieties (HYV), with a production target of 644,112 metric tonnes of rice. A total of 8,194 hectares of land have been targeted for seed-beds and 110 hectares of land have taken up for the country variety, with a production target of 8,194 metric tonnes. Some 49.84 hectares have been targeted for preparing seed-beds of this variety.

Farmers of the district had incurred colossal losses during the aman season. With a hope to recoup their losses, they began transplanting boro seedlings. But thanks to the seedling crisis, the target of transplantation of hi-breed, HYV and country varieties and the production target may not be achieved.

The seed-beds developed in 12 upazilas of the district have been affected by cold injury. As a result, huge quantities of seedlings have been damaged. On the other hand, seeds have not germinated properly because of the cold. Many transplanted seedlings were also damaged by root-damaging disease, farmers said.

Dulal Mondol of Moisajani village under Kalihati upazila said he sells seedlings every year, but incurred losses this year as his seed-beds were affected by cold injury.

Many transplanted seedlings in Latifpur and Tarafpur unions and some villages in Mirzapur upazila have become rotten at the roots. The farmers have had to replace the seedlings, which has caused additional expenditure, said a farmer, Ruhul Amin. He added that they had to spend Tk. 20,000 per acre on tilling, labourer, fertiliser, seedling, transplantation and other costs. They now have to spend an additional Tk. 10,000 per acre.

It has been learnt that some 300 acres of land are lying fallow at Omorpur under Tangail Sadar upazila for earth-filling for a bridge, causing water-logging. Brick kilns on arable lands in Dhanbari, Sakhipur, Ghatail, Bhuapur, Mirzapur, Basail and Madhupur upazilas have shrunken boro farming areas. Disputes over irrigation in some areas have caused arable land to become fallow.

Abdur Razzaque, the deputy director (DD) of DAE (Tangail), admitted that cold injury has indeed occurred. He also conceded that the government has not given any incentives to the farmers. The DAE has not developed seed-beds, he added. But he also claimed that these would not impact production.

The DAE expects a bumper yield as sufficient fertilisers are available. “Despite all constraints, the target may be achieved,” he added.

 

Acute seedling crisis hits Boro farming

A shortage of seedlings has badly affected boro farming in 12 upazilas of Tangail district in the current season. The targeted transplantation of seedlings and production may not be achieved, as seed-beds have been affected by cold injury and root-damaging diseases have wrought havoc. A source in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Tangail disclosed that the department had aimed to bring 166,897 hectares of land under boro cultivation during the current season, with a production target of 656,185 metric tonnes of rice in 12 upazilas of the district. The DAE fixed a target to bring 8,354.49 hectares of land under seed-beds. It has been learned that 2,213 hectares of land have been selected to be brought under high-breed farming, with a production target of 10,535 metric tonnes of rice. A total of 110.65 hectares of land were targeted for seed-beds. A total of 163,893 hectares of land have been brought under high-yielding varieties (HYV), with a production target of 644,112 metric tonnes of rice. A total of 8,194 hectares of land have been targeted for seed-beds and 110 hectares of land have taken up for the country variety, with a production target of 8,194 metric tonnes. Some 49.84 hectares have been targeted for preparing seed-beds of this variety. Farmers of the district had incurred colossal losses during the aman season. With a hope to recoup their losses, they began transplanting boro seedlings. But thanks to the seedling crisis, the target of transplantation of hi-breed, HYV and country varieties and the production target may not be achieved. The seed-beds developed in 12 upazilas of the district have been affected by cold injury. As a result, huge quantities of seedlings have been damaged. On the other hand, seeds have not germinated properly because of the cold. Many transplanted seedlings were also damaged by root-damaging disease, farmers said. Dulal Mondol of Moisajani village under Kalihati upazila said he sells seedlings every year, but incurred losses this year as his seed-beds were affected by cold injury. Many transplanted seedlings in Latifpur and Tarafpur unions and some villages in Mirzapur upazila have become rotten at the roots. The farmers have had to replace the seedlings, which has caused additional expenditure, said a farmer, Ruhul Amin. He added that they had to spend Tk. 20,000 per acre on tilling, labourer, fertiliser, seedling, transplantation and other costs. They now have to spend an additional Tk. 10,000 per acre. It has been learnt that some 300 acres of land are lying fallow at Omorpur under Tangail Sadar upazila for earth-filling for a bridge, causing water-logging. Brick kilns on arable lands in Dhanbari, Sakhipur, Ghatail, Bhuapur, Mirzapur, Basail and Madhupur upazilas have shrunken boro farming areas. Disputes over irrigation in some areas have caused arable land to become fallow. Abdur Razzaque, the deputy director (DD) of DAE (Tangail), admitted that cold injury has indeed occurred. He also conceded that the government has not given any incentives to the farmers. The DAE has not developed seed-beds, he added. But he also claimed that these would not impact production. The DAE expects a bumper yield as sufficient fertilisers are available. Despite all constraints, the target may be achieved, he added.