Aman rice farming has increased this season in Adamdighi upazila of Bogura, known as the granary of the north. Lower production costs and fewer diseases and pest attacks are drawing farmers in the area to aman rice. With timely rain, little disease and pest damage, and weather suited to rice, farmers expect a bumper yield this season.

According to the upazila agriculture office, a target of 12,300 hectares of aman rice has been set this season across one municipality and six unions of the upazila. Aman has been grown on about 800 hectares more than last season. Farmers have planted several aman varieties, including Swarna-5, Ranjit, Paijam, hybrids and BRRI dhan11, 34, 49 and 62. The rice fields do not need much rainwater at this stage, but a week of continuous storms and rain could cause extensive crop damage. Excessive rain could harm the aman crop.

According to the agriculture office, light traps, group meetings and leaflet distribution were carried out regularly with farmers in the field this season to protect the crop. As a result, no significant disease or pest attack has been seen in the aman fields. With the weather also suited to rice, farmers will be able to harvest more than the expected crop.

Azizur Rahman, a farmer from Chhoto Jinair village in Sadar union, said aman rice costs little. It needs irrigation only once or twice, as aman grows on rainwater. If pests increase, spraying pesticide lets the crop be harvested without worry.

He told Dainik Amader Orthoneeti that he had planted rice on 5 more bighas than last year. "I hope to profit if I can bring the crop home. I have always taken help and advice from the agriculture office. So far the crop has suffered no damage. I plant aman on this land to grow early potatoes afterwards. I will be able to harvest within the next 20 to 25 days."

Rafiqul Islam, a farmer from Kashimalkuri village in Chhatiangram union, said aman rice has done very well this year and he hopes to get the expected yield. Although pest attacks were low, pesticide has been sprayed three times so far. With no rain, some higher land needed irrigating twice. There was no trouble getting aman seed and fertiliser this time. "The crop looks strong and fine this year. Seeing the healthy, fresh, half-ripe ears, it seems there will be a huge yield."

Upazila agriculture officer Mithu Chandra Adhikari said the upazila had a bumper rice yield last aman season too, and a bumper aman yield is expected again this season. Interest in rice farming among ordinary people at the grassroots is growing. Mainly, the sub-assistant agriculture officers of the upazila agriculture office give farmers the right advice at the right time, so there is hardly any disease in the aman fields this time. With favourable weather and no disease in the rice plants, a bumper yield is likely again, he said.

Reporting by Aminul Jewel.

Source: Amader Shomoy. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.