Published Paper Details:

In Bangladesh, food security is equivalent to rice security. Rice production in Bangladesh commands vast economic significance across multiple sectors and socioeconomic factors. Rice is Bangladesh's primary crop and staple food, dominating agricultural production, employment, nutritional intake, and contributing substantially to national income. Rice is cultivated in three seasons namely Aus, Aman and Boro throughout the year. Bangladesh ranks as the third-largest producer of rice globally, reaching about 39.1 million tonnes in 2023.However the present study has conducted to analyze the trend of actual yield of rice in Northern Bangladesh for different rice varieties and to provide policy recommendations. The study was documentary analysis type. Data and information were collected from secondary sources. Data and information were collected from books, research reports, journals, different websites and internet. The study was conducted by taking secondary data of 16 districts were collected from Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the districts were Bogura, Joypurhat, Pabna, Sirajgonj, Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore, Chapai Nawabgonj, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagar. Each and every year the cultivation of aus, aman and boro rice of local varieties, high yielding varities and hybrid varieties are increasing. The mentioned 16 districts are contributing the total cultivation and production in national cultivation and production of rice in Bangladesh. From the result it was found that in the fiscal year 2009-10, total cultivation of aus, aman and boro rice was 3542861 hectares and total production of aus, aman and boro rice was 10727272 metric tones. Bangladesh commenced exporting aromatic rice, with shipments amounting to 663 tonnes. In fiscal year 2014-15, total cultivation of aus, aman and boro rice was 3697561 hectares and total production of aus, aman and boro rice was 12051486 metric tones. In 2014, Bangladesh initiated the export of 50,000 tonnes of non-fragrant coarse rice to Sri Lanka for the first time under a government-to-government deal, priced at $450 per tonne, driven by strong output and ample government stocks. In fiscal year 2019-20, total cultivation of aus, aman and boro rice was 3721218 hectares and total production of aus, aman and boro rice was 12027389 metric tones. Over subsequent years, the volume of exports increased significantly, reaching 10,879 tonnes in fiscal year 2019-20.Production cost of rice is more in comparison to other crops. So government should take necessary steps so that the prices of inputs (fertilizers, seeds, irrigation, pesticides) of rice production stay very cheap. For this reason government should provide more subsidies in fertilizers, seeds and pesticides. There are shortages of good quality rice seeds. Local rice varieties seeds are available but quality is a problem of local seeds and per hectare production is less than high yielding varieties and hybrid varieties. Per hectare production of hybrid rice seeds is more but very much scarcity of hybrid rice seeds in Bangladesh. The prices of hybrid seeds are more than local rice varieties and high yielding varieties. Hybrid rice varieties are imported from other countries of the world for this reason each and every year Bangladesh spent a lot of foreign currencies. So government should give emphasis to produce high yielding varieties rice. More research and development should be done so that more hybrid rice varieties can be developed in Bangladesh which will save foreign currencies. Government should take more steps so that farmers can get mechanical support to cultivate land, transplant seedlings, harvest rice, thrash and thresh paddy. There are some areas of the study area where flood damages many rice fields so more research should be done to develop flood tolerant rice varieties. Drought also damages many rice fields so more research should be done to develop drought tolerant rice varieties.