‘Khamari App’ launched to reduce fertiliser costs, boost crop yields
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Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has launched a farming application ‘Khamari App’ to reduce fertiliser expenses and enhances crop yields.
Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque on Friday said the ‘Khamari App’ could reduce fertiliser expenses and enhances crop yields.
He made this statement during a field day event at Dhanbari upazila of Tangail, organised by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), said a ministry release.
Dr Razzaque highlighted the Khamari App's effectiveness, stating that it provides valuable information about crop types, required fertiliser, and seed quantities for specific plots of land.
The use of the app could lead to a reduction of Tk 1000 a bigha in fertiliser costs for paddy fields while increasing yield by one maund (40 kg) per bigha.
The minister also emphasised the importance of using fertiliser judiciously, as excessive use does not result in higher crop yields. He stressed that farmers should apply fertilisers as needed, and the Khamari App could assist them in this regard.
Furthermore, Dr Razzaque recognised the challenges of diminishing land resources in densely populated countries like Bangladesh.
To ensure food security for the country's 170 million people, he urged the adoption of improved, high-yielding rice varieties, such as BRRI dhan 103.
It is worth noting that BRRI dhan 103 exhibited promising results with a yield of approximately 25 maunds per bigha or 33 decimals in sample harvests.
This variety has a lifespan of around 130 days, with stronger stems, light green leaves, and firm, long, and wide flag leaves compared to conventional varieties.
The day's events included the inauguration of the Dhanbari regional office of BRRI by the agriculture minister, and several prominent figures in the agricultural sector were in attendance, including Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akter, Additional Secretary Ruhul Amin Talukder, BARC Executive Chairman Sheikh Md Bakhtiar, and other high-ranking officials from various agricultural organisations.
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