Boro yield may exceed target in Bogra this yr

Farmers in 12 upazilas of the district are busy harvesting and processing early planted boro paddy. Though there is a labour crisis in some areas, harvesting has been gaining momentum since last week.

Farmers and officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) are expecting bumper yield of boro in the district as the crop has grown well due to favourable weather condition this year.

 While visiting the paddy fields in different upazilas of the district, this correspondent found farmers working cheerfully to gather the ripened paddy from early in the morning to late at night.

Farmers are afraid that nor'westers and heavy rain may occur at any time, and the crop may be lost.

The local DAE office provided farmers with logistic support, including seeds, fertilisers and necessary equipment, during the time of boro cultivation across the district, farmers said.

Rubel Hossain, a farmer at Hat Phulbari village under Sariakandi upazila, said, “I brought two bighas of land under early boro cultivation this season, spending Tk 9,500. I hope to make a profit of Tk 12,000, but the price is not satisfactory at all."

“Paddy is being sold in the local market at around Tk 650 per maund, against the production cost of Tk 500 per maund,” he added.

Chandi Das Kundu, deputy director (DD) of DAE, said they have fixed a target of producing over 8 lakh tonnes of boro paddy on 1,89,000 hectares of land across the district this season.

The boro production target might be crossed as the farmers are getting high yield, the DD added.