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Change in BREB bidding process confuses transformer suppliers
A sudden change in the bidding process by Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) has put transformer suppliers in a dilemma which may lead to the use of substandard products in its power distribution project and encourage unfair practices.
Much-sought direct ship service to St. Martin set to be opened Thursday
St. Martin is a very attractive destination for tourists. Even then, many hesitate to take any pleasure trip to the island for various hassles, including the lack of direct ship service from the beach town of Cox’s Bazar. However, the worry is over.
Unidentified woman of Lalmonirhat hospital reunites with family
The pregnant woman who was initially believed to have been abandoned at the gate of Sadar hospital here four months back has finally been identified by her family.
Govt plans to revamp facilities in Sundarbans to boost tourism
The government is planning to renovate seven eco-parks and build four new ones in the Sundarbans, aiming to boost tourism in the world's largest mangrove forest.
Jashore potato farmers in distress
Two cold waves in 45 days, accompanied by rain and fog, swept over the district this winter and in its wake left the farmers to struggle with late blight disease of potatoes.
Fearing an outbreak of the disease and subsequent losses, many farmers have started harvesting potato although the crop is yet to mature enough.
Farmers cultivated potato on 15,000 hectares of land in eight upazilas of the district this season, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
The weather was favourable for potato at the beginning of the season but plants started dying because of late blight, the DAE said.
Farmers fear big losses as potato in most of the fields are getting dry while the plants the roots of the plants are decomposing.
They said the plants begin to grow potato at the end of December when a cold wave was sweeping over the district. The weather did not improve for several days and the disease emerged.
Potatoes started to turn yellow and were drying out, they said.
At the DAE’s advice, farmers applied anti-fungal spray but after two weeks, the district was again hit by a cold spell. The symptoms of late blight reappeared, prompting farmers to harvest potato and sell them before time.
Experts said late blight emerges in humid condition and if the appropriate fungicide is not used, it can destroy the entire plant in a matter of days after the first lesions appear.
Infected tubers are often invaded by soft rot bacteria which rapidly convert adjoining healthy potatoes into a smelly, rotten mass that must be discarded.
Several farmers from Nongorpur in the Sadar said they used anti-fungal spray at the advice of DAE but it did not make any difference.
Things are looking gloom for the farmers.
Hasmot Ali, a local farmer, said he cultivated potato on two bighas (66 decimals). “The plants were growing properly at the beginning but the disease affected them in the last one week,” he said.
“The yield would have been higher if we could harvest the potato after two to three weeks. But I fear that I’ll incur more loss if I don’t sell the potato now [as the fields have been affected by late blight],” he said.
Jashore DAE Additional Director Emdat Sheikh said they are aware of the situation.
“We’ve have visited different areas of the districts and found that some fields have been affected by the disease,” he said. “We’ve advised farmers to apply anti-fungal spray to prevent the outbreak.”
‘Chia’ cultivation gives hope to Jashore farmer
At a time when losses are forcing many farmers to turn to cash crops, a farmer has found hope in Chia cultivation in Manirampur upazila of Jashore – with a little help from his agriculturist brother.
Highly nutritious Chia seed shares similarities with sesame seed and the farming system is quite identical. It is mainly cultivated in Canada, Australia, Japan, America, Chili, Mexico, and New Zeeland, among other developed countries.
Hafizur Rahman, a local farmer, cultivated Chia on 50 decimals of land this season under the direct supervision of his elder brother agriculturalist Dr Md Mashiur Rahman, a professor at the Bangladesh Agricultural University.
Dr Rahman collected seed from Canada in 2016 and later led an experimental cultivation.
He told UNB that he became interested in Chia farming in Bangladesh after learning about its nutritional quality, and examined local soil and climate to see if it is suitable for Chia cultivation.
“After months of research, I started experimental Chia cultivation and succeeded in 2017,” he said, adding that he encouraged his brother to start cultivating Chia.
Chia plants look like sesame but its nutritional quality is higher than many crops and it is very expensive.
Hafizur said Chia seed can be sown in the Bengali month of Karthik and Agrahayan. “I’ll harvest the crop within a few days,” he said.
Only 200 grams of seed are enough for each Bigha, he said, adding that Chia plant requires one or two irrigations and requires less insecticide due to less pest attack rate.
Farmers should use a little amount of Urea, TSP and MOP fertilisers 15-20 days before sowing Chia seed in the field, he added.
Each kilogram of Chia seed costs about Tk 2,700 in Dhaka’s market.
It turns into jelly when the seeds are put in water. This jelly can be eaten with bread, pudding, cake and loaf.
Hirok Kumar Sarkar, the Upazila Agriculture Officer, said they will encourage local farmers to cultivate Chia in the next season.
DPDC Procurement Project: ‘Discriminatory’ condition to cost it addl Tk 270 cr
A ‘discriminatory’ condition in a procurement process will cost Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) an additional amount of Tk 270 crore if it picks the lowest bidder for the job.
Gazipur farmers worried over shortage of goat vaccines
Farmers in Gazipur are dealing with an acute shortage of goat vaccines after supplies from the district livestock office have run out, leading to a great anxiety among the farming community here that their farms could be destroyed in the absence of timely vaccination.
District livestock officials said they have taken necessary measures to collect the requisite goat vaccines from the capital, which would be delivered within this week in line with the needs of the district.
According to information of the district livestock office, there are about 3,000 goats in 25 farms across different upazilas of the district.
Grand Ekushey Book Fair round the corner; preparations underway
Preparations for holding the annual Amar Ekushey book fair, the largest and most popular book fair in the country, on the Bangla Academy premises and the adjacent areas are going on in full swing.
Faridpur farmers losing interest in boro crops
A high production cost and low prices of the products have led to a decline in boro cultivation in Faridpur over the years as frustrated farmers go for cash crops.