Transplantation of Aus paddy seedlings was completed successfully and now those are growing everywhere in the region along with the vast Barind tract amid suitable climatic condition including frequent rainfall, reports BSS.
According to field-level reports, the farmers are showing more interest towards the Aush farming due to the effective measures taken by the government.
Agriculturists and farmers sources said the recurrent rainfalls are bringing fortune for the farmers towards the transplantation and growing process creating huge job opportunities for the labor-class people especially the indigenous males and females.
In almost all eight districts under Rajshahi division, farmers are busy in nursing transplanted Aus seedlings of various high yielding and local varieties including BRRI-28, BR-26, BR-27, BR-21, BR-48, BR-55 and Parija, which gave better yield all along. Local farmers have brought more than 1.57 lakh hectares of land under the Aus paddy farming in four districts under Rajshahi agricultural zone this season.
Local Met office recorded 523.3 millimeters of rainfall during the last one and a half months that helped the farmers towards successful transplantation of the seedlings.
Additional Director of the zone Fazlur Rahman said the government provided fertilisers like urea, TSP and MoP among the small and
marginal farmers free of cost aimed at boosting the Aus paddy yield for ensuring food security.
To make the cultivation programme a grand success, the government has also ensured the supply of seeds, insecticides and other agri inputs to the growers at fair prices besides distribution of chemical fertiliser free of cost. A total of 29,200 farmers got cash incentives to buy seeds and fertilisers for the cultivation of Aus paddy in the current Kharif-1 season. Of the total, 25,500 farmers received incentives for cultivation of high yielding Aus on 25,500 bigha of land 3,700 farmers for Nerica paddy on 3,700 bigha of land. Each of the interested farmers got Tk 400 for Aus paddy cultivation while Tk 800 for Nerica paddy farming.
Besides, each of the farmers, who cultivates Aus paddy, got five kilograms seeds, 20 kilograms urea, 10 kilograms DAP, 10 kilograms MOP and cash Tk 400 for irrigation purpose.
On the other hand, farmers who cultivated Nerica paddy, got 10 kilograms seed, 20 kilograms urea, 10 kilograms DAP, 10 kilograms MOP and Tk 400 for irrigation and Tk 400 for weeding.
Sazder Rahman, Deputy Director of DAE, said the distribution of incentives was completed successfully. The agricultural incentives help boosting Aus paddy production thereby the country’s total production will be enhanced. He expected that around 70,000 tonnes of additional rice will be produced. Agriculturist Sazdar Rahman said the Aus farming is very much cost effective as it requires less production cost and face less natural calamity.  
More or less, the farming depends on monsoonal rainfall which is very important for lessening the gradually increasing pressure on groundwater.