'Super bumper' Boro output this year likely

Farmers are very happy over record production of Boro this year than any occasions in the past as the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) predicts the yield of Boro would surpass all previous records with 1.50 crore tonnes harvests this year.

"At least 90 percent Boro was harvested so far and we hoped that the production would exceed 1.50 crore tonnes against the target of 1.45 crore tonnes," said Director General of DAE Ibrahim Khalil in the city yesterday.

The country produced some 1.38 crore tonnes Boro Crop last year and 1.28 crore tonnes in 2004.

Khalil said use of record quantity of certified seeds, favorable environmental condition, use of balanced fertiliser as well as constant vigilance of field level DAE officers were behind the success the country is heading for achieving in rice production.

According to statistics, Boro crop was cultivated at least 43.20 lakh hectares of land this year, in which, hybrid seeds were used in two lakh hectares of cultivable lands, the highest one in the country's history so far.

Besides, sources from Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and DAE said that the BADC and DAE this year have doubled their seed production strength that helped achieve bumper production.

When asked about seed production strength, Khalil said, "We would be able to provide at least 25 percent of the total rice and wheat seeds required annually in the country if we get more financial support to run our seed production project properly.

The BADC and the DAE has provided nearly 50 percent Boro seeds to the farmers this year.