Home ›› 24 Aug 2022 ›› Nation
Aman paddy farmers of Mymensingh are hit with an irrigation crisis right after the price hike of oil and fertiliser.
Due to the lack of rain in the district, the planted aman saplings are on the verge of drying out.
Aman paddy cultivation begins in the Bengali month of Srabon amid the monsoon rain. Farmers of Mymensingh readied their seedbeds in hopes of cultivating aman paddy during the monsoon.
However, the scorching heat wave prevailed throughout August with little to no rain. Farmers were unable to cultivate their fields as expected due to the hostile weather conditions.
Many farmers started planting the seedlings after irrigating their fields with pumps, but that too has become hard due to the frequent load-shedding.
On-spot visits showed similar situations in Mymensingh Sadar upazila, Bhangnamari, Douhakhla union of Gouripur upazila, Morichar Char, Rajivpur and Tarundia union of Ishwarganj.
Farmer Razzak Sheikh of Rajibpur village of Sadar upazila said the cost of irrigation and cultivation had increased after the government raised the price of fertiliser and fuel.
“Besides, the planted saplings are drying out due to a lack of irrigation. Farmers will face severe losses if the situation continues,” he said.
Farmer Sadiq said in only a matter of two decades, agriculture has become dependent on modern machinery and the traditional cow-plough method is no longer used in cultivation.
“As a result, fuel and fertiliser price hike affect the cultivation cost immensely. Compared to that cost, the market price of rice is low. So we have to face losses,” he said.
Md Hafiz Uddin, a farmer of Bhangnamari union, said Srabon and Bhadra are most appropriate for planting aman paddy. “Even though the seedbeds are ready, the farmers have been unable to plant the saplings due to the lack of rain.”
This correspondent talked to small tractor drivers Md Nirab Mia and Anik Mia, who were sitting idle by the field.
They said they came to plough the field in the morning but the power was out. They had been waiting for electricity to irrigate the field before ploughing it.
In response to a question, they said the cost of ploughing one katha of land is Tk 150. Mortar irrigation cost was Tk 300 previously, but now it is Tk 400.
After buying the seeds and fertiliser, there is also the added cost of hiring labour to plant and weed the field. Adequate rain can lessen the farmers’ cultivation costs.
Md Shafiqur Rahman, a farmer of Moriachar village of Ishwarganj upazila, said the total cost of land and seedbed preparation, planting, regular irrigation, application of pesticides, weeding twice, fertilising, and paddy threshing is about Tk 3,500 per katha.
“About three to four maunds of paddy can be harvested from one katha land, the market price of which is about Tk 3,200-4,000. I am cultivating aman for personal use because it is hard to make a profit from selling it,” he said.
The farmers are worried about facing severe losses if the government does not raise the price of rice in comparison to the cost of cultivation, said Agriculture Officer of Gouripur upazila Lutfun Nahar.
According to her, aman plantation is completed in about 80 per cent of the targeted 20,835 hectares of land in the upazila.
“Aman paddy cultivation depends on rain. But due to inadequate rain, this year farmers have to depend on irrigation pumps for cultivation,” she said, adding, “The increased prices of oil and fertilisers have already put the farmers in a tough spot. Frequent load-shedding is also disrupting irrigation.”
She also said if the farmers fail to make a profit, they will lose interest in paddy cultivation, disrupting the country’s food production. “But we hope that the government will ensure a fair price of paddy for the farmers,” she added.
Department of Agricultural Extension Mymensingh Deputy Director Md Matiuzzaman said 2,68,320 hectares of land have been brought under aman paddy cultivation in the district.
He said that due to less rain this season, farmers have been advised to irrigate with irrigation pumps and hoses. As a result, about 60 per cent of the cultivation target has been completed, he added.
