Farmers in the Rangpur agricultural region are expressing satisfaction with the excellent yield and good prices of maize cultivated in the current Kharif-1 season. Harvesting is now in full swing, and farmers are receiving prices between Taka 950 and Taka 1,000 per mound (every 40 kgs) for the newly harvested maize. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) had set a target of producing 2,12,771 tonnes of maize from 21,705 hectares of land for Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts. However, farmers have cultivated maize on 20,815 hectares of land, 95.90 percent against the target for this season.
Till Saturday, farmers had harvested maize on 17,721 hectares of land, 81.64 percent against the cultivated land area, and produced 1,68,373 tonnes of the crop at an excellent average yield rate of 9.50 tonnes per hectare of land. The government provided special incentives, high-yielding varieties of seeds, and fertilizers to landless, small, marginal and flood-affected farmers to further increase maize cultivation and production this season in the region.
Farmers Lokman Hossain, Abu Torab and Jahangir Alam of different villages in Rangpur said they have got excellent maize output with excellent price in the local markets during this Kharif-1 season. Agriculturist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, Independence Award 2018 Medal (food security) winner, said maize cultivation has become popular among farmers of the mainland and riverine char areas in recent years. He noted that maize cultivation has become a profitable venture and helps alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life of farmers, small and marginal farmers, landless people in char areas, and other riverine communities.
Dr Mazid called on people from all walks of life to change their dietary habits and eat maize in different ways for a healthy lifestyle and reduce pressure on rice. Farmers are reaping high profits from maize farming following strong demand for the crop in the flourishing poultry feed, animal feed and food industries across the country. The excellent maize yield and prices this season are a boon for the agricultural sector in the Rangpur region and highlight the importance of maize cultivation for food security and economic development in Bangladesh.
