Quality seeds, latest technology can increase rice production: Experts

Quality seeds, latest technology can increase rice production: Experts



Agriculture experts and scientists at a workshop here yesterday stressed on using quality seeds and adopting latest technologies with proper agronomical management for increasing rice production.



Ensured use of quality seeds and proper technologies with appropriate agronomical management, the per hectare rice production could be increased up to one tonne reducing the yield rate gap between research findings and field level productions, they said.




They were addressing the daylong district level workshop organised by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) at its Khamarbari conference room under the ‘Reducing Yield Gap of Paddy Crop Project.’



Deputy Director of the DAE Feroz Ahmed attended and addressed the workshop as the chief guest with its District Training Officer Ali Azam in the chair.



In the technical session, Senior Scientific Officer (SSO) and Senior Breeder of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) Rakibul Islam elaborated the reasons behind huge rice yield gap between research findings and field level production.



Crop Production Specialist of DAE Shawkat Ali Sarker delivered his presentation narrating field level achievement of the ongoing project in three upazilas of Rangpur and various steps taken so far to reduce the yield gap of rice at farmers’ level.



Pirganj Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Ekhlasur Rahman, Mithapukur Upazila Agriculture Officer Dr Sarwarul Haque, Scientific Officer of Soil Resource Development Institute Syed Hassan Reza, Deputy Director (seed marketing) of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation Abdus Samad Khan, Horticulture Specialist of DAE Khandker Md Mesbahul Islam, Regional Director of Agriculture Information Service Abu Sayem, Agriculturists Ruhul Amin and Abdul Wajed, took part in open discussion session.



Officers of different district level agriculture-related departments and research organisations, Upazila Agriculture and

Agriculture Extension Officers, Sub-assistant Agriculture

Officers and farmers from allover the district participated.



The speakers blamed not using quality seeds, untimely

transplantation and using older seedlings, lacking in applying

balanced fertilisers, poor water and pests management and lack of

knowledge on latest technologies and their applications for the

rice yield gap.



However, field level rice yield rate has started increasing

after launching of the project, they said and asked all concerned

for its proper implementation to reduce the yield gap to the zero

level to increase rice production further for ensuring national

food security.