Farmers across Domar upazila in Nilphamari are showing remarkable enthusiasm for zero-tillage mustard cultivation, a method that is rapidly gaining popularity this season. All ten unions of the upazila have adopted this technique, and growers say the method is highly effective because it reduces costs while increasing profit.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Rafiqul Islam, who conducted trial cultivation last year, explained the process. After Aman paddy ripens fully, mustard seeds are broadcast five days before harvest, when the field is still moist. This ensures quick germination. As the rice is harvested, the seeds naturally mix with the soil due to the impact of threshing, eliminating the need for traditional land preparation.

He added that farmers in Domar are mainly cultivating the BARI-14 variety this year. For this variety, the seed requirement is about 1 kg per bigha, which is roughly 33% of typical seed use.

Assistant Agriculture Officer Md Bozlar Rahman said, “In Bamunia union, zero-tillage cultivation of BARI-14 mustard has proven highly profitable. The cost is low, yields are good, and timely sowing helps transform land from two-crop to three-crop cycles. After last year’s successful trial, we are now encouraging farmers across the entire upazila to adopt this profitable method.”

Farmers report that zero-tillage mustard cultivation reduces production costs by up to 40%, requires less labor, and allows faster preparation for subsequent crops. They believe that if this method continues, Domar Upazila will see a significant increase in mustard production.