Fertilizers Use and Crop Productivity at Farmers' Level of Haor Area

The study was carried out under Sunamgonj district during November 2014 to July 2015 to see the farming systems, agricultural technologies, crop productivity and soil fertility of the haor area. A total number of 65 farmers were selected through random sampling technique. Data were collected from the sampled farmers through direct interview method using a questionnaire. Soil samples were collected from rice fields with five replications. Eleven farming systems were identified, among them 32.31% was Crop-Poultry-Agroforestry system. Literacy rate was 44.62% which is less than national average. Farm size was 1.29 ha. Boro-Fallow-Fallow was the major cropping pattern where fertilizers application was 265 kg ha-1 and the corresponding cost of fertilizers was Tk. 6309 ha-1. The average fertilizers used for rice cultivation were 180-43-42 kg ha-1 as Urea-TSP-MoP, respectively. Per hectare labourer required for boro rice cultivation in haor area was 149 man-day ha-1 and cost of boro rice cultivation was of Tk. 38153 ha-1. Uses of modern agricultural technologies are limited in rice cultivation. The soil analyses indicated that farmers used imbalanced fertilizers in rice cultivation.