Mymensingh farmers can grow four crops in a year

Farmers in Mymensingh have been cultivating four seasonal crops, including mustard and jute invented by Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), on the same land in a year.

They are now busy harvesting early varieties of Aman Binadhan-11 and Binadhan-6.

Director General of BINA, Mirza Mofazzal Islam says, "Scientists are working to double the crop production by 2030 as per the UN's advanced target and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's call that not even an inch of our land can be left uncultivated."

As part of this, farmers are cultivating four crops on the same land using the invention of BINA. As a result, with the increase of production, their income has increased, according to him.

Abdur Rashid, a farmer from Kandipara village in Mymensingh Sadar's Paranganj, has planted Binadhan-11 and BINA Dhan-8 on 110 acres of land, Ruhul Amin on 120 acres and Ibrahim on 140 acres of land in the current Aman season.

Farmer Rashid says that by cultivating the early varieties of paddy invented by BINA, he can harvest four crops from the same land in a year. Other Aman varieties have not ripened yet, but the varieties of BINA have.

Farmer Amin says, "One can make profits by selling the early varieties of paddy now as there is a shortage of food in the village".

“After harvesting BINA Dhan, I will plant mustard varieties that can be harvested in 75 to 80 days. I can grow jute on the same land within a short period of time too,” he adds describing how they have been growing four seasonal crops on the same land in a year.

Farmer Ibrahim of the same area says, "I can now cultivate four crops, as against two in the past, in a year.” In this case, BINA has been providing technical assistance including seeds and fertilisers, he adds.

BINA's Senior Scientific Officer Dr Firoz Hasan says the project is helping farmers to grow four crops on the same land through BINA's technology. As a result of short-term planting of Aman Binadhan-11 and BINA Dhan-6 varieties of paddy, the farmers are able to cultivate early varieties of paddy at the earliest of time. And afterwards, they can plant BINA's mustard.

The farmers can then plant bean and jute too for a short time and sell those in the market. They can again easily cultivate in Boro season, he says.

Matiuzzaman, acting deputy director of the agricultural extension department of Mymensingh district, says Aman paddy has been planted on 268,400 hectares of land in the current Aman season, surpassing the target of 266,000 hectares.

Farmers have already started harvesting early varieties of Aman paddy. By planting early varieties of paddy, the farmers are benefitting financially, he says.

Moreover, they can harvest four crops in a year on the same land, increasing their yearly farming profits, the agriculture officer notes.

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