Farmers in Munshiganj have exceeded this season's Boro paddy cultivation target by 238 hectares, bringing a total of 24,617 hectares under the crop and reaping a bumper harvest, according to the district's Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
Officials said the average yield reached close to five metric tons per hectare, against a production target of 104,022 metric tons for the season. Cultivation was spread across the district's upazilas, with the largest share in Srinagar, followed by Sirajdikhan, Louhajang, Tongibari, Gazaria and Sadar.
Jamal Molla, a farmer from Haridia village in Louhajang, said this year's crop escaped major damage because the season passed without storms or heavy rain, resulting in a better output than previous years. He urged the government to arrange direct paddy purchases from farmers at the field level.
DAE Deputy Director Dr Md Habibur Rahman attributed the strong harvest mainly to favourable weather, adding that the department distributed free high-quality seeds and fertiliser to 4,000 small and marginal farmers under an agricultural incentive programme to encourage hybrid Boro cultivation. He said 321 demonstration plots were also set up across the district under various government projects to promote high-yield varieties and balanced fertiliser use.
