Revolutionary bumper production of Boro paddy on extremely saline lands

Bagerhat Correspondent :

A revolutionary bumper production of Boro paddy was achieved by the farmers on the extremely saline lands within the fish farms under the six Upazilas in the coastal district of Bagerhat in the current Boro season. This was possible with cultivating the High Breed and ‘Ufshi’ brand paddy seeds after testing the quality and examining the merits and demerits of the soil.
According to the Agriculture Department, 36 thousand 7 hundred 26 hectares of lands which are extremely salained and air marked for cultivation of shrimps and lobsters under 6 Upazilas like Rampal, Mongla, Sharankhola, Morrelganj, Bagerhat Sadar, Kachua and Mollahat of the district situated near the sea. Previously no paddy was cultivated in those lands within the fish farms due to extreme salinity. Later, the farmers were inspired by the Agriculture Department to cultivate saline tolerant BRI Paddy seeds-10, 67, 97 and 99 devised by Bangladesh Paddy Research Institute. But the farmers could not achieve their desired production. In spite of that the farmers did not dishearten. They were once again inspired by the Agriculture Department. The department after testing the quality of soil and examining its merits and demerits advised the farmers to cultivate extreme salinity tolerant High Breed (Boro) paddy seeds-5 and 8 and “Upshi” brand BRI-103, 107 and 108 on their lands and accordingly, the farmers cultivated those Boro seeds on their lands with their past experience within their shrimps and lobsters farms. As a result, a revolutionary bumper Boro paddy was produced in the current season in the district. About one mound paddy was harvested per decimal lands and superseding all the past records some 2 lakh 29 thousand 49 tons Boro paddy were harvested in the 6 Upazilas mentioned earlier in current season.
It may be mentioned here that due to the cultivation of shrimps and lobsters in the paddy fields in these 6 Upazilas which were once food surplus areas became the food deficit area. But this year these Upazilas almost reached the door of self-reliance in food production area and consequently, after a long awaiting smile appeared on the faces of the farmers.
It is learnt from the Bagerhat District Agriculture Department that some 2 lakh 29 thousand 749 Boro paddy were produced in those Upazilas. The Upaziala wise production was given below: some 34,125 tons Boro paddy were produced on 4,820 hectares of lands (air marked for shrimp and lobster cultivation) in Rampal Upazila, in Sharankhola Upazila 63,826 tons Boro paddy produced on 4,250 hectares lands, in Morrelganj Upazila 63,826 tons paddy produced on 9,015 hectares lands, in Bagerhat Sadar Upazila 73,330 tons paddy produce on 10,850 hectares lands, in Kachua Upazila 52,010 tons paddy produced on 7,739 hectares lands and in Mongla Upazila 368 tons paddy produced on 52 hectares lands.
A good number of farmers of Mongla, Sharankhola, Morrelganj, Bagerhat Sadar and Kachua Upazilas told, the measurement of salinity in the water within their fish farms is near at 20 PPT.
In the past years they cultivated salinity tolerant BRI-10, 67, 97 and 99 paddies in their fish farms along with shrimps and lobsters. But they incurred a heavy loss as those paddy plants cannot face so much salinity. But in the current Boro season the farmers cultivated extreme salinity tolerant high Breed-5 and 8 and ‘Ufshi’ BRI-103, 107 and 108 and harvested a revolutionary bumper production.
Ramesh Chandra Ghos, Additional Deputy Director (corn), Bagerhat District Agriculture Extension Department told, in the past years the farmers of the district incurred loss after cultivating Boro paddy in the fish farms of shrimps and lobsters due to the extreme salinity in the water within the fish farms. But in the current Boro season they produced a revolutionary bumper Boro crop in their lands as they cultivated extremely saline tolerant High breed-5 and 8 and ‘Ufshi’ BRI brand-103, 107 and 108 after testing the quality and examining the merits and demerits of the soil (by the Agriculture Department). The ADD added, it was possible due to the joint and untiring efforts of both the farmers and Agriculture Department. In these Upazilas thousands of acres of lands are still left uncultivated within the fish farms. The ADD further added, being inspired with the bumper production of Boro paddy the farmers decided to cultivate Boro paddy in the fallow lands within the fish farms in the next season and if it is translated into action the Bagerhat will become a food surplus district once again.