Farmers have started harvesting Zinc-enriched rice- BRRI Dhan-62 , a newly developed paddy suitable for cultivation during rain-fed Aman season, in different areas of northern region, including Bogra.
 After the harvest of the rice the farmers will start harvesting BINA dhan-7. These two verities of rice are called early Aman. These can be harvested within 100 days of cultivation.
The variety, developed by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), is seen as a boon for the poor and marginal farmers as well as agricultural labourers, in the northern
districts.
Experts said as the rice played a vital role to meet the necessary requirement of micronutrient for a human body and increase disease resistant capacity of children.
Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service [RDRS] has taken initiative to popularise the farming of the variety in the region.
Accordingly, a total of 2,500 hectares of land was brought under cultivation of two varieties of newly developed paddy this year.
Harvesting of 50 per cent of zinc-enriched BRRI Dhan-62 has now been completed, Bogra DAE source said.
The growers are also getting desired yield of the variety, said Md Faridul Alam, an officer of Bogra DAE.
‘Farmers can cultivate BRRI Dhan-62 using natural fertiliser and rainwater and harvest it as an additional crop as early Aman. It takes around 100 days for cultivation.
It gives a yield of 3.5 tons per hectare,’ the officer said adding the yield might rise to 4.5-6 tons per hectare if nurtured properly.
 Zinc is one of the most vital micronutrients. Deficiency of zinc hampers normal growth of children and consumption of it increases the disease prevention capacity of the poor and the vulnerable people, including the pregnant women, the experts said.
The experts also said the BRRI released the variety all over the country last year
 following a major breakthrough in research in the field.
Farmers in Nilphamari have also started harvesting BRRI-62 paddy. Some 200 farmers of the district have cultivated this variety of paddy on 300 bighas of land under the supervision of the agriculture department in cooperation of two NGOs-RDRS and HARVEST  PLUS Bangladesh-in 2014.
Agriculture officer of Dimla upazila Md Aftab Sarkar said the paddy is being cultivated extensively as it can be harvested in short duration.
Tahera Begum of village Daut in sadar upazila and Tahmina Begum of village Melabor in Kishoreganj  upazila, the two female farmers, they have harvested 17 maunds of BRRI-62 paddy from 40 decimals of land.
Tahmina said she will cultivate early variety of potato on the same land, which she will sell at the high rate for its demand.
 Dilip Kumar Ray, the agriculture officer of RDRS, Nilphamari,  said  this variety of rice raise the disease prevention capacity of the poor and the vulnerable people, including the pregnant women.