Md. Mosabbir Ali back from Hakaluki Haor :
Farmers have been frustrating due to massive pest attack on Aman paddy fields in different areas of Sylhet division. Farmers have encountered this setback following the damages of their newly planted paddy fields by flash floods earlier this year.
Minhaj Uddin, a farmer of Kalijuri village in Gulapganj upazila in Sylhet told this correspondent, “I cultivated Aman paddy on five acres of land after flood but all are the drying out due to serious attack of insects.”
He said, unable to combat the pest menace because of non-availability of effective insecticides in the local markets in proper time. Faruk Ahmed, a farmer of same area said he used pesticide but worried that he would not get even 30 to 40 percent yield of his field.
Hazi Alauddin, General Secretary of Haor Bachao Krisok Bachao Andolon (a farmers rights based organization) told this correspondent, this season farmers could not cultivate Aman paddy timely as the floodwater took more time to recede, farmers informed. As a result, a large section of farmers may not get the expected paddy output.
In an effort to save the unaffected plants, many of them uprooted the dying Aman plants. But this will affect the paddy production as there is no time of planting new saplings instead, he added.
He alleged that farmers could not seek suggestions from the agriculture officials and field workers as they are not visiting the affected fields.
The cost of Aman cultivation has increased due to use of pesticides but it fails to check the attack, said several farmers. Bikash Mollik, farmer of Koularashi village in Kulaura Upazila of Moulvibazar said, we are seen to uproot the dying Aman plants at their fields to save the remaining plants that are still unaffected.
However, agriculture officials denied the allegation and said after getting informed about the pest attack we are giving advice to the affected farmers to check the problem.
Md. Fozlur Rahman, Deputy Director of Agricultural Extension Department in Habiganj told this correspondent, Aman cultivated on 75,500 hectors in Habiganj district but insect attack is under control. Jahedul Haque, deputy director of Agricultural extension department in Sunamganj told this correspondent, Aman cultivated on 75,000 hectors in Sunamganj district. We found insect attack different area in Sunamganj. It will not affect the production target.
Shahjahan Chowdhury, DD, Agricultural Extension Department in Moulvibazar told this correspondent, Aman cultivated 96,500 hectors in Moulvibazar.
Abul Hasem, Deputy Director of DAE of Sylhet told this correspondent a total of 1.40 lakh hectares of land were brought under Aman cultivation in the Sylhet this year. The Aman paddy plants are drying due to attack of ‘Pamri Poka’ and the lack of potassium.
Farmers have been frustrating due to massive pest attack on Aman paddy fields in different areas of Sylhet division. Farmers have encountered this setback following the damages of their newly planted paddy fields by flash floods earlier this year.
Minhaj Uddin, a farmer of Kalijuri village in Gulapganj upazila in Sylhet told this correspondent, “I cultivated Aman paddy on five acres of land after flood but all are the drying out due to serious attack of insects.”
He said, unable to combat the pest menace because of non-availability of effective insecticides in the local markets in proper time. Faruk Ahmed, a farmer of same area said he used pesticide but worried that he would not get even 30 to 40 percent yield of his field.
Hazi Alauddin, General Secretary of Haor Bachao Krisok Bachao Andolon (a farmers rights based organization) told this correspondent, this season farmers could not cultivate Aman paddy timely as the floodwater took more time to recede, farmers informed. As a result, a large section of farmers may not get the expected paddy output.
In an effort to save the unaffected plants, many of them uprooted the dying Aman plants. But this will affect the paddy production as there is no time of planting new saplings instead, he added.
He alleged that farmers could not seek suggestions from the agriculture officials and field workers as they are not visiting the affected fields.
The cost of Aman cultivation has increased due to use of pesticides but it fails to check the attack, said several farmers. Bikash Mollik, farmer of Koularashi village in Kulaura Upazila of Moulvibazar said, we are seen to uproot the dying Aman plants at their fields to save the remaining plants that are still unaffected.
However, agriculture officials denied the allegation and said after getting informed about the pest attack we are giving advice to the affected farmers to check the problem.
Md. Fozlur Rahman, Deputy Director of Agricultural Extension Department in Habiganj told this correspondent, Aman cultivated on 75,500 hectors in Habiganj district but insect attack is under control. Jahedul Haque, deputy director of Agricultural extension department in Sunamganj told this correspondent, Aman cultivated on 75,000 hectors in Sunamganj district. We found insect attack different area in Sunamganj. It will not affect the production target.
Shahjahan Chowdhury, DD, Agricultural Extension Department in Moulvibazar told this correspondent, Aman cultivated 96,500 hectors in Moulvibazar.
Abul Hasem, Deputy Director of DAE of Sylhet told this correspondent a total of 1.40 lakh hectares of land were brought under Aman cultivation in the Sylhet this year. The Aman paddy plants are drying due to attack of ‘Pamri Poka’ and the lack of potassium.
