To produce quality rice seeds, Energypac Agro. Ltd (Agro G) has distributed 1300 kgs of saline tolerant breeder seeds among the contract farmers of southern districts during 25-28 November, 2011. Agro G is implementing this program under the project Sustainable Rice Seed Production and Delivery Systems for Southern Bangladesh (SRSPD) of IRRI-USAID. Under this project, Agro G has distributed the breeder seeds of BINA-8 & BRRIdhan 47 among 312 contract farmers of three southern districts, it is expected that the farmers will produce about 150 tons of foundation seeds during this Boro season.

Seed distribution at Dumuria Upazila, Khulna

In the first year, the project is being implemented at Dumuria Upazila of Khulna district, Fakirhat Upazila of Bagerhat district and Shayamnagar Upazila of Satkhira district. In distribution ceremony, Head of Agro G & Senior Vice President of Energypac Agro Ltd Dr. S.B Naseem, Zahidul Islam, Consultant (Agro G), Khalequzzaman, Area Production Manager were also present. Besides, Agriculture Officers, Agriculture Extension Officers, Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officers, Union Parishad Chairmen, Members, NGO officers, local Journalists, Freedom fighters were also present in the seed distribution ceremony.

Seed distribution at Fakirhat, Bagerhat and at Shamnagar, Satkhira.

In the distribution ceremony, the experts of Agro-G and DAE discussed about the seed production technologies of these varieties. It is also discussed that if properly grown, farmers can produce about five to six tons of quality seeds per hectare. After the expected production of 150 tons of foundation seeds, these varieties will be distributed in larger areas of saline prone areas in Satkhira, Bagerhat, Khulna, Barisal, Noakhali, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar districts during next year. It expressed by the attending experts that a vast tract of lands in these areas remain uncultivated due to salinity where BINA-8 and BRRIdhan-47 rice will would greatly help solve the problem. After the seed distribution ceremony, Dr. S.B Naseem and Agro G personnel visited seed production fields of the selected contract farmers.