Bangladesh : Farmers hoping for bumper maize production in Rangpur region
Farmers in Rangpur, Bangladesh, are expecting a bumper maize harvest after surpassing cultivation targets by 8.72%. The crop, which requires less water and offers high profitability, is improving livelihoods and reducing poverty. With its nutritional benefits and multiple uses, including as cow feed and cooking fuel, maize is becoming a key crop for food security and sustainable agriculture.
RANGPUR, March 19, 2025 (BSS) – After exceeding the fixed farming target, enthusiastic farmers are hoping for a bumper maize production as plants of the crop are growing superbly amid favorable climatic conditions in Rangpur agricultural region.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers are expanding cultivation of the less irrigation water consuming and highly profitable cash crop maize after getting its repeated bumper production with pleasing prices in recent years.
“Maize cultivation is improving the livelihoods of farmers and cutting poverty helping them in achieving self-reliance,” Deputy Director of the DAE’s Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Afzal Hossain said today.
The DAE had fixed a target of producing 13,28,993 tonnes of maize from 1,17,043 hectares of land for all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat in Rangpur agricultural region during this Rabi season.
“Meanwhile, farmers have finally brought 1,27,251 hectares of land under its cultivation, exceeding the fixed farming target by 8.72 percent in the region,” Afzal said.
Maize farmers Abdul Mazed of Haridebpur village and Abdul Latif of Chandanpat village in Rangpur Sadar upazila said they hope there will be a bumper yield of maize this time to bring more profits to them.
“Although the cultivation cost of almost all crops has increased due to the increase in the prices of oil, fertilizers and pesticides, maize cultivation costs less than other crops. That is why maize cultivation is increasing,” farmer Abdul Latif said.
Deputy Director of the Burirhat Horticulture Center of the DAE in Rangpur Dr. Md. Abu
Sayem said farmers are leaning towards maize cultivation in the hope of financial benefits. This crop is rich in nutrients and profitable.
“Farmers are leaning towards maize cultivation as the use of nutritious silage as cow feed in various dairy farms is increasing and more yield can be obtained with less time and money,” he said.
“Maize leaves are being sold in the market as cow feed and the dry plants can be sold as cooking fuel. All in all, maize cultivation is more profitable than other crops, so farmers are leaning towards maize cultivation,” Sayem added.
Talking to BSS, Agriculturalist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got the Independence Medal-2018 (food security), said there is a brighter prospect for increasing maize production further and the government has put due emphasis on the issue.
He stressed on enhancing cultivation of low-irrigation water consuming cereal crops like maize and wheat to reduce Boro farming in northern Bangladesh to ensure food security and improve environment, ecology and biodiversity under changed climate.
Besides, maize contains huge Vitamin-A and its multi- dimensional use including production of corn oil with no cholesterol from maize can help heart patients in many ways through consuming its oil.
“Maize is highly beneficial to human health if consumed as the flour prepared through
crushing contains 70 percent wheat and 30 percent maize together”, he said, citing different recognised international level scientific research findings and analyses.
He said proper and diversified use of potato with maize and some other crops in a planned manner can help reduce high pressure on rice side by side ensuring nutritional demands and food security amid adverse climate.
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Source : BSS News
