The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Bogra

Aman cultivation is being hampered in the northern region of the country due to acute scarcity of TSP and MOP fertilizer.

In this situation, farmers are apprehending that they won't be able to achieve the cultivation target of aman paddy.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has taken up a scheme to bring 17.38 lakh hectares of land under aman cultivation in 16 districts of the region with an output target of 43.30 lakh mts.

Of the total land, 79,782 hectares will be cultivated in Rajshahi, 1.89 lakh hectares in Naogaon, 44,250 hectares in Natore, 53,501 hectares in Chapainawabganj, 1.90 lakh hectares in Bogra, 71,520 hectares in Joypurhat, 46,555 hectares in Pabna, 62,994 hectares in Sirajganj, 1.44 lakh hectares in Rangpur, 1.17 lakh hectares in Gaibandha, 1.14 lakh hectares in Kurigram, 83,105 hectares in Lalmonirhat, 1.10 lakh hectares in Nilphamari, 2.46 lakh hectares in Dinajpur, 79,511 hectares in Panchagarh and 1.02 lakh hectares in Thakurgaon.

Farmers of the district have already started aman cultivation in the region.

But cultivation is being hampered as the farmers cannot use TSP and MOP fertilizer on their lands, which are essential at the early stage of the cultivation.

Farmers said that they are getting sufficient urea but TSP and MOP fertilizer are not available in the region.

Some 10-12 kgs of TSP and 8-10 kgs of MOP fertilizer are needed for each bigha at the early stage of aman cultivation.

But the government's allotment is very poor against the demand, farmers alleged.