RANGPUR: The agriculture officials are expecting a bumper ginger production as the farmers exceeded the fixed farming target of the spicy crop this season in Rangpur agriculture region, official sources said, reports BSS. According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, cultivation of ginger and other spicy crops has been expanding as the government provides trainings, inputs and easy-term agriculture loans at only 4 per cent interest rate to the farmers.
“The DAE has also been providing farmers with quality seed to enhance production of spices ensuring proper crop diversification, land managements and utilisation of latest technologies,” said Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Mesbahul Islam. Under the spicy crop farming programme, the DAE had fixed a target of bringing 3,826 hectares of land under ginger cultivation to produce 43,999 tonnes of ginger this season in all five districts under the agriculture region.
“The farmers finally cultivated the spicy crop in 3,853 hectares of land, 0.71 per cent higher than the fixed farming target, this time in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts under the agriculture region,” Mesbahul added.
According to DAE sources, the farmers have cultivated ginger in 1,435 hectares of land in Rangpur, 325 hectares in Gaibandha, 428 hectares in Kurigram, 355 hectares land in Lalmonirhat and 1,310 hectares of land in Nilphamari in the region. Regional Additional Director of DAE Shah Alam said the DAE and other agriculture related departments and organisations and commercial banks have taken special initiatives to increase oil seed, pulse and spice productions. Talking to BSS, he also predicted a bumper production of ginger during the current season in the region.