BRRI dhan75 was sown experimentally in Rajshahi this year and harvested after 105 days, though it can be cut in 95. Trial plots are yielding more than 5 tonnes per hectare, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) Director General Dr Md Shahjahan Kabir said at a harvest and farmers' rally in Saroil village, Deopara union, Godagari upazila, in late October.

The rice is much improved over others, and mustard will do well after it, he said. The country lags in oil crops and spends 240 to 250 billion taka a year on edible oil imports; growing mustard would save money and benefit farmers, so the cropping pattern is very important. The variety takes less time, has little pest attack so needs no spraying, comes early to market for a good price and leaves time for vegetables after harvest.

After threshing, the paddy weighed about 22 maunds on a scale, delighting landowner Abul Hossain Masud, a teacher and keen farmer. He said the grain is fine and the rice fluffy; the crop does not lodge and rats do not attack it, and the biggest gain is an extra mustard crop after harvest. Farmers Abul Hossain, Saiful Islam, Sirajul Islam and Abdul Jabbar said they want to grow more next year: at 22 maunds, farmers will take it up.

At least 400 bighas were planted with BRRI dhan75 in the Rajshahi region (Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj). Dr Md Fazlul Islam, chief scientific officer of BRRI Rajshahi, said farmers were given seed, fertiliser and other support; the straw is good fodder, and the aromatic rice is tasty, resists lodging and has little disease.

Md Shamsul Wadud, DAE divisional additional director, said planting earlier would allow earlier harvest; mustard can follow the rice and Boro can follow the mustard, and mustard area should rise 30 per cent this year. Divisional Commissioner G S M Zafarullah also spoke. After the rally, 400 farmers received seed of BRRI dhan89, 92, 81 and other improved varieties.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.