Croplands declining as farmers digging ponds for fish production in Natore
Photo: Bulbul Ahmed
Cropland is decreasing at an alarming rate in Natore as farmers have been digging pond on their agricultural land for fish farming to earn more profit.
Agricultural land in the district has reduced by about 8,437 hectares in the last eight years, said Subrata Kumar Sarker, deputy director of Natore Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).
There was 1,54,961 hectares of cultivatable cropland in 2012-2013 but it has decreased to 1,46,524 hectares this year.
Subrata Kumar also said, Natore is a grade one district in agricultural production. The district grows about 50 percent of the total production of garlic, and about 40 percent of moog dal (lentils) in the country.