Aman transplanting for the current season is complete in Purbadhala upazila of Netrokona, and with the weather holding, the agriculture department and farmers are expecting a bumper harvest. Heavy rain in the first week of August disrupted planting, but the fields recovered, and panicles have begun to emerge in some of them.

According to the upazila office of the Department of Agricultural Extension, the target for the season was 19,420 hectares and Aman has been planted on 19,423 hectares — three hectares more than planned. The production target for the year is 64,657 tonnes.

Upazila agriculture officer Md Zobayer Hossain said Aman cultivation has gone very well in Purbadhala this year, and that with the weather favourable so far he expects a good yield across the upazila.

Abul Hashim, a farmer of Nayapara village in Purbadhala Sadar union, said there had been no trouble with the crop this year; the agriculture office had kept in touch and helped him obtain fertiliser. Md Anwar Hossain Jilan of Meghshimul village in Ghagra union said the crop was looking better than last year's, with little pest damage and inputs within reach, though he was cautious about what the rest of the season might bring.

Upazila nirbahi officer Md Shafiqul Islam said the upazila has every prospect of a bumper Aman crop this year because the weather has remained favourable. Sufficient stocks of every type of fertiliser are on hand for the Aman fields, he said, and farmers have no reason to worry.

That assurance matters for the final stage of crop care at a time when farmers in several districts are queuing for urea. The report is from Manab Zamin's Purbadhala (Netrokona) correspondent.

Source: Manab Zamin