Ripe rice seedlings have sprouted in Bagerhat, farmers in trouble

Ripe rice seedlings have sprouted in the fields. And workers are carefully harvesting the rice that is in the water. This rice harvested by the workers at the price of animal feed will not be of much use to the farmers. Because just as this rice cannot be sold, the rice cooked from this rice will also be unfit for consumption. This Tuesday (May 12) morning, a scene can be seen from the rice field of Sheikh Rustam Ali of Narendrapur village in Kachua upazila of Bagerhat. This extremely poor farmer had cultivated Boro rice on two and a half acres of land.
At least 2 acres of rice in his field have been submerged due to heavy rain and gusty winds. And seedlings have sprouted in all the submerged rice. Not only Rustam, most of the rice farmers in the district are in the same situation. Although there has been no rain for the last three days, seedlings have sprouted in the rainwater accumulated on the ripe rice that has fallen. According to the information of the District Agricultural Extension Department, Boro rice has been cultivated on 68,171 hectares of land in the district this season. At least 1,630 hectares of land have been completely destroyed in the heavy rains of the last few days. However, in real terms, this amount is much higher. The Department of Agriculture does not have information about many affected farmers.
Affected farmer Sheikh Rustam Ali said that it cost more than one lakh 20 thousand taka to cultivate two and a half acres of land. If there were no storms and rains, it would have cost 20 to 30 thousand taka to cut and thresh this rice. But now it will cost at least 80 thousand taka to take this rice home. I don’t know what will happen this time, if there were no stable for the cows, I would not have been able to cut rice. This middle-aged farmer sighed and said that even if he did not have his own land, he would have had to sit on the road this time.
Farmer Muzaffar Molla from the same village said that he does not have his own land. I have leased one bigha of land for 20,000 taka. I have planted all the rice seedlings that were submerged in the rain. The condition of all the paddy fields in the area is the same, workers cannot be found even for 1,000 taka a day. I went to harvest paddy with my son who is studying in a madrasa. Humayun Kabir, a farmer from Utkul village in Bagerhat Sadar Upazila, has planted Boro paddy in a one and a half bigha fish enclosure. Due to lack of workers, he is unable to harvest the paddy that is underwater, while the fish in the enclosure are dying in the water where the paddy and straw have rotted. Humayun Kabir said, the paddy is over. The shrimp will not return home. And the shrimp and white fish in the enclosure have started dying. I have sold some by pulling the net. This year’s rain has completely ruined everything for us. Meanwhile, the farmers who have worked hard to grow paddy in their enclosures are having to sell it at a much lower price. Last year, one maund of paddy was sold for 900 to 1200 taka in the open market, but this time it is being sold for 600 to 850 taka. Rice farmer Amir Hawlader said, this year’s paddy was very good. Even after the rice was blown away by the rain and wind, I got 80 maunds of rice in two bighas of land. However, the rice has become almost worthless because it got wet. I sold it for 750 taka. The cost will increase further. At least five million Boro farmers in the district are in the same situation as Rustom, Humayun, Amir and Muzaffar. This time everyone will have to count the losses. The Department of Agriculture said that a list of affected farmers is being prepared. If the government ever gives any incentives, these farmers will be given priority. Bagerhat’s Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension Md. Motahar Hossain said, we visited the fields after the rain. Many farmers’ rice has been spoiled. There are not enough workers, wages are also very high. And the price of rice in the open market is also quite low. However, if there is no more rain, the farmers will be able to recover some of the losses. He also said that a list of affected farmers in various upazilas has been prepared. These farmers will be given priority if incentives or any government assistance are provided in the future.