Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :
Farmers have already harvested about 50 per cent of the boro paddy sown in seven haor districts of Kishoreganj, Netrokhona, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Moulovibazar, Sylhet and Brahmanbaria despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Besides, the region’s vast haor tract has produced good yields, much to the delight of locals. Farmers began to harvest paddy as early as possible this season in anticipation of natural calamities that could devastate their crops
Boro paddy has been planted in 1.75 lakh hectares of land in Kishoreganj district this year.The production target was 6 lakh metric tons.
Six large haor areas in Moulvibazar were brought under cultivation this season with an aim to produce 218,022 metric tonsof paddy, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE). In Sunamganj, the crop was cultivated on 223,330 hectares of land with a production target of 885,299 tonnes.
Similarly, 122,130 hectares of land in 54 haors were cultivated in Habiganj to produce 518,151 tonnes of rice.
A paddy fields in the Hakaluki haor areas, it was seen that farmers were passing busy times in reaping and storing the paddy from dawn to dusk.
“Suitable climate conditions alongside frequent rainfall during the growing season gave farmers hope of getting their desired production,” said Mahfuz Hamid, administrator of the Kulaura Problem Prospect Facebook group. The group works in the locality to solve different social and economic problems and raise awareness on different issues.
Now is the perfect time to harvest paddy and so, farms are bustling with activity to get the job done in due time, he said. “We are raising awareness among local farmers to harvest boro paddy as quickly as possible this season,” Hamid added.
Farmers are also quite pleased with the current price of boro paddy, leading to increased cultivation and employment opportunities for locals, he said. Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department (AED) in Kishoreganj Md.Saiful Alan told the New Nation that a favourable climate, quality seeds, proper use of fertiliser, monitoring and advice from field-level employees are the main reasons for this year’s bumper production. The products target 6 lakh metric tons. “The damage caused by the recent storm was very little,” he said, adding that they first cut a sample of the grain to estimate the total harvest.
“We are announcing each and every area for harvesting boro paddy quickly,” he added.
Mafuzur Rahman , a farmer of Gazipur area in Khaliajuri upazila upazila of Netrokhona said an acute labour crisis prevails in the region as the government has enforced a countrywide lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The public transport system has also been shut down, resulting in a scarcity of workers to help farmers harvest paddy in the haors.
“This has raised labour costs,” Farmer Mafuz said.
“So, we have to spend more money to manage farmhands for harvesting crops,” he added.
Bimol Das, a haor farmer of Bhusimoil area under Kulaura upazila, said farmers are engaging even their schoolgoing children to harvest their paddy before the arrival of the upcoming nor’westers and hail-storm.
“This natural calamity may occur at any time and cause damage to the crops,” Das added.
Rejowan Ahamed Tofique MP in Itna Mitamoion and Austagram constancy , said there may be a bumper paddy harvest this year thanks to the various government initiatives and favourable weather conditions. He was visiting the hoar areas at his constancy last two days.
Additional Director in Sylhet zone Dilip Kumar Adhikari said Boro paddy was cultivated on 483,703 hectares of land in 424 haor areas under four districts of Sylhet division this season with a production target of 1.934 million tonnes of rice..
