Thakurgaon district set a Boro season target of 267,940 tonnes of paddy from 60,150 hectares this year. Against that, paddy has been planted on 61,650 hectares.

About 45% of the crop has been harvested so far, yielding roughly 6.5 tonnes per hectare. The report says that if the target is met, paddy worth about Tk 67 crore will be produced in the district at current market prices.

According to the district agriculture officer's figures, Boro was planted on about 1,600 more hectares than last year. The same figures put the value of this season's Boro paddy alone at Tk 602 crore 86 lakh 50 thousand, at the current market price of Tk 900 a maund.

Paddy farmer Bikash Barman said: "Because the weather was good, we got good prices and yields. Last year a sack sold for Tk 1,600. This year the price was Tk 2,100–2,200 at first. It is a little lower now, but we are happy and satisfied with both the yield and the price."

Farmer Khademul Islam said: "We got a good yield and a good price this time. I will grow Boro again next year." Farmers said modern machinery now lets them plant and harvest quickly and with less hardship.

Trader Aktarul Islam said: "Compared with last time, paddy is up Tk 200–400 a sack. I am now buying a sack of freshly harvested paddy at Tk 1,800 to 2,000. Prices could rise further."

Sirajul Islam, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said: "This year yields have been about 6.5 tonnes per hectare. I hope the production target will be achieved."

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