Thousands of farmers along with experts are expecting bumper output of flood-tolerant rice for the fifth consecutive time this year as they have started harvesting the crop now with excellent yield rate after successful cultivation, reports BSS.
The growing plants of flood tolerant rice varieties survived inundation under floodwater for more than two weeks during recent floods and resumed normal growth after recession of floodwater to give better yield in flood-prone areas.
According to farmers and experts, submerged plants of flood tolerant BRRI dhan51, BRRI dhan52, BINA dhan11 and BINA dhan12 variety rice plants resumed normal growth after recession of the floodwater in low-lying areas of the country.
The Stress Tolerant Rice for South Asia & Africa (STRASA) project extends assistance with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funding through International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for cultivation of flood tolerant rice varieties.
The STRASA-IRRI project is being implemented with GO-NGO collaboration during the past five consecutive years to substantially increase rice output in Bangladesh making the country self-sufficient on rice.
Farmers Ariful Kabir Batul, Jahangir Alam, Mizanur Rahman and Sabu Mian of village Najirdigar in Rangpur said they have been harvesting their cultivated BRRI dhan51, BRI dhan52, BINA dhan11 and BINA dhan12 now with excellent yield rates.
Their growing rice plants remained submerged for 16 to 22 days, then resumed normal growth after recession of floodwater and they are getting now 4.5 to 5.5 tonnes of paddy per hectare this season like in previous years, they said.
Farmers Mostaq Ahmed, Boytullah, Nanda Lal and Shachindra Nath of Lalmonirhat said they will soon harvest BRRI dhan52 and BINA dhan11 rice though their growing rice plants remained submerged for over two weeks during floods this season.
Farmer Suvanol Chandra and Solaiman Ali of Gaibandha, Antaj Ali and Hossain Ali of Kurigram said they would get bumper harvest soon though their growing BINA dhan11, BRRI dhan51 and BRRI dhan52 plants remained submerged for 17 days during floods.
