Photo: BSS

TANGAIL, May 5, 2005 (BSS) - Farmers are expecting a bumper yield of maize in 
the district this season due to favorable weather, use of modern agricultural 
technologies and government support.

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Office said the government has 
providing free maize seeds and fertilizers to a large number of farmers in 
the district in the current season.

Maize has been extensively cultivated in the vast char areas of the river 
Jamuna here and the farmers have eagerly cultivated maize in the char areas 
with a hope of a good yield. 

During the current Rabi season, hybrid variety maize has been cultivated in 
more than the target areas. 

The DAE office had set a target to cultivate maize on 7,800 hectares of land 
in 12 upazilas of the district in the current season but farmers cultivated 
maize on 8,815 hectares of land exceeding the target.

Most of the marginal farmers in the char areas under different upazilas of 
the district have been benefiting from cultivating early hybrid variety maize 
for the past few years.

Maize is cultivated more in the char areas than the other crops and farmers 
of the district are increasingly interested in its cultivation as it is more 
profitable with less effort and less cost.

Farmers said that at present, along with wheat, the use of maize has also 
increased in various fields. Maize stalk in both fresh and dried conditions 
is also used as cow fodder. 

Moreover, there is a huge demand for maize in the poultry industry. 

Farmers generally get 15-16 maunds of paddy from per bigha of land where 40 
to 45 maunds of maize are cultivated from per bigha of land. 

A farmer can profit Taka 30 to 50 thousand by cultivating maize from one 
bigha of land spending Taka eight to 10 thousand.

Harvesting of maize is going on across the fields of Gabsara, Gobindasi, 
Nikrail and Ajuna unions in the char areas of Bhuiyanpur. The yield has been 
good due to the favorable soil and weather conditions.

In addition, the seed and fertilizer provided by the government and field-
level advice received from the agricultural office have been useful to the 
maize farmers.

Haider Ali, a farmer of Alamnagar Char Nalhara village in Gopalpur upazila 
said, "I have cultivated hybrid variety maize of Pranadana Yuvraj and Ganga 
Padma on two bighas of land and have got good yield."

Abdul Awal of Beletia village in Kalihati upazila said, "I have cultivated 
maize on four bighas of land. I hope to get a yield of 35 to 40 maunds per 
bigha."

Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Md. Nurul Islam said maize cultivation 
has been increasing continuously for the past few years in the district.

"We are directly teaching farmers how to grow maize properly so that farmers 
do not face any problems in cultivating the crop," he said, adding that 
farmers are also being advised to control various diseases and insects that 
attack maize fields.

Deputy Director of the DAE Agriculturist Md. Ashek Parvez said maize has now 
become an important cash crop in this district. 

The department is always providing training and technical assistance to the 
farmers to boost its yields, he said.

The soil of the char areas of the river Jamuna is especially suitable for 
maize cultivation. 

"We have provided various incentives and technical assistance to the farmers 
so that they will get a bumper yield." 

He further said that maize is now not only a food grain, but also a raw 
material for the poultry and feed industries. As a result, both the demand 
and the price of the crops in the market are in favor of the farmers.