RANGPUR,  – Transplantation of Transplanted Aman (T- Aman) rice seedling is nearing completion on way to achieve the fixed farming target despite damages caused to the crop by recent flood in Rangpur agriculture region.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials said farmers have already transplanted T-Aman rice seedling on 5.58 lakh hectares of land,
87.87 percent of the fixed farming target for cultivation of the crop this season in the region.

“We are expecting to achieve the fixed farming target of T-Aman rice as transplantation of late varieties of seedling will continue till September 15
next,” Additional Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Agriculturist Md. Moniruzzaman said.

Earlier, recent flood damaged standing T-Aman rice crop on 43.75 hectares of land causing production loss of 126.53 tonnes of clean rice worth Taka 37- lakh and standing seedling on 5,216 hectares of land causing loss of Taka 59.06 crore.

The DAE has fixed a target of bringing 6.35-lakh hectares of land under T- Aman rice cultivation to produce 18.08-lakh tonnes of clean rice (27.13
tonnes of paddy) for all five districts in the region this season.

At the same time, the DAE has fixed a target of preparing T-Aman seedbeds on 31,716 hectares of land for bringing 6.35 lakh hectares of land under
cultivation of the major cereal crop in the region.

“However, farmers finally have prepared T-Aman seedbeds on 38,071 hectares of land, higher by 6,355 hectares of land than the fixed target of preparing the same on 31,716 hectares of land this season,” Moniruzzaman said.

Despite damages caused by flood to T-Aman seedbeds on 5,216 hectares of land, the remaining standing seedbeds on 32,855 hectares is still higher by
1,139 hectares of land than requirement for cultivating the crop on 6.35-lakh hectares of land.

Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Mohammad Ali today told BSS that said massive agri-rehabilitation programs at the cost of Taka 1.42 crore have been taken to assist 19,552 flood-affected farmers of the region.

“We have prepared 202 community seedbeds of T-Aman rice on 202 acres of land with one acre of land each in Kurigram (100 acres), Gaibandha (100
acres) and Lalmonirhat (two acres) spending Taka 80.90 lakh,” Ali said.

Currently, distribution of the prepared Aman rice seedling after three weeks of sowing seed continues among 12,241 flood-hit farmers for re-
transplantation on their one bigha of land each.

The DAE, BADC and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) have prepared buffer seedbeds of late variety T-Aman rice on about 20 hectares of land spending Taka 13.35 lakh on their own installation premises.

Distribution of these prepared T-Aman rice seedling now continues among 1,181 flood-hit farmers for re-transplantation on one bigha of land each.

“The DAE has also assisted farmers in preparing 280 floating T-Aman rice seedbeds in all five districts of the region spending Taka 3.82 lakh for re-
transplantation of seedling by 70 farmers on one bigha of land each,” Ali added.

Besides, the DAE has distributed 4.20 tonnes of late ‘Ganjia’ variety of Aman rice seed worth Taka 1.80 lakh among 700 flood-hit farmers of Kurigram
and Gaibandha for broadcasting those on one bigha of land each.

Besides, flood-affected farmers have also broadcasted 260 tonnes of the late ‘Ganjia’ variety of Aman rice seed of their own on around 4,300 bighas
of their affected croplands in these two districts.

“The DAE has also distributed 25.38 tonnes of ‘Mashkalai’ seed worth Taka 42.63 lakh among 5,400 flood-affected farmers who are broadcasting those on one-bigha of land each in the region,” Ali added.