Khulna Bureau:Harvest of Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) paddy hasbeen progressing in full swing at all the four districts under Khulna regionfor a couple of weeks.

This year, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has fixed plantation target is 2, 99,110 hectares of land and the production target has been set at 12,07,805 tonnes of paddy in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and Naraildistricts in the region.

“Farmers have cultivated Aman paddy on 2,95,570 hectares of land, less by 3,540 hectares or 1.18 percent against the fixed farming target,” said FoizAhmed Mina, sub-assistant agriculture officer in Khulna.

The cultivation target was achieved 98.82 percent after blissful rain though the transplantation of Aman seedlings was hampered at the initial and middle mstages of the season due to drought-like situation. But the production hasexceeded the target.

Currently, the growers are harvesting the crop with great enthusiasm and getting bumper production of the paddy which they did not even expect, he said.

Additional Director of the DAE of Khulna Region MdFaridul Hasan saidthat favorable climatic condition, proper distribution of high-quality seed by Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and timely supply of fertilizers and other agro-input to the growers are the reasons for getting desired production.

The DAE also provided training to the farmers for adopting modern technologies, crop management and preservation of quality seeds, he added.

“At least 498.7 hectares of crop lands were totally damaged by cyclone ‘Sitrang’,” he said, adding that some 7,033.4 tonnes of crops worth Tk15.58cr were destroyed by the cyclonic storm.

Hasan said the DAE is going to adopt an agricultural rehabilitation programmein the cyclonic storm affected areas shortly, after receiving allocation from the government.

He, however, said about 46, 211 hectares of land has been harvested so far or 15.6 percent harvest of the paddy had already been completed and rest would be finished here by December.