According to local farmers, Binadhan-16 is harvested a month earlier than other conventional varieties of the Aman paddy, allowing them to plant winter crops ahead of schedule
Farmers in Gopalganj are ecstatic as they continue to profit handsomely from the cultivation of “Binadhan-16”, a high-yielding and early-flowering variant of the traditional Aman paddy developed by the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA).
According to local farmers, Binadhan-16 is harvested a month earlier than other conventional varieties of the Aman paddy, allowing them to plant winter crops ahead of schedule.
Rabiul Islam Akand, scientific officer at the Gopalganj Bina Sub-Station, said farmers had been cultivating Binadhan-16 in Gopinathpur, Shuktail and Jalalabad unions of Sadar upazila and Maheshpur, Bethuri and Fukra unions of Kashiani upazila for the past five years.
“This year, farmers have cultivated Binadhan-16 on 150 hectares of land in the district, yielding an average of six tons of Aman paddy per hectare,” he added.
“We have been conducting field research for the development of farmers and agriculture. We continue our efforts to commercialize agriculture and farmers are playing a vital role in this regard by moving forward through utilizing relevant advice and training,” he also added.
Sumon Khan, a farmer from Paikerdanga village in Gopalganj Sadar upazila, said when he used to cultivate the conventional variety of Aman paddy, he harvested a maximum yield of 3.5 tons per hectare.
He said: “The Binadhan variety has yielded 8 tons of paddy per hectare. In addition to bumper yields, we are able to achieve 3 to 4 crop rotations a year due to its fast-yielding nature.”
Mahatab Uddin, a farmer from the same village, said: “Binadhan-16 not only brings a greater yield compared to other Aman crops but also allows additional profit from different winter crops.”
Dr Arbindu Kumar Roy, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, said: “The cultivation of other varieties of Aman paddy starts in July every year. But as they are harvested in November the cultivation of other winter crops, like potatoes, and mustard starts late and their yields are limited.
“Meanwhile, Binadhan-16 cultivation also starts in July but its harvesting and threshing is completed by October, allowing winter crops to be planted one month earlier, much to the delight of farmers,” he added.
BINA Director General Mirza Mofazzal Islam said: “We want to double the farmers’ income by increasing the density of crops by 2030. We are working to change the socio-economic condition of farmers by increasing their income through year-round crop cultivation.”
“Therefore, by motivating farmers to cultivate Binadhan-16, we are encouraging them to grow three or four crops on the same piece of land by rotation.”