Home ›› 13 Apr 2023 ›› Nation
Rice blast, a fungal disease affecting paddy, is distressing hundreds of farmers who had cultivated the BRRI dhan 28 variety in several districts of the Khulna agricultural region.
Farmers increased Boro paddy cultivation in the region in recent years to compensate for the losses incurred from aman cultivation. However, due to the quickly spreading rice blast disease, insect attack, and heat damage, the farmers are now worried about recovering their production costs.
According to the agriculture department, adverse weather conditions have affected crops in isolated small areas but it will not affect the overall production target.
Paddy fields in Khulna, Jashore, Satkhira and Bagerhat districts have been affected by rice blast disease. BRRI dhan 28 variety is the most affected by this disease.
Farmers of the region said the cost of production has increased due to the increase in the cost of seeds, fertilisers and labour this year. Farmers are in despair as there is nothing but empty paddy husks left in their fields right before harvest begins.
Paddy fields of Dumuria, Koyra, Botiaghata, Terokhada and Rupsha upazilas of Khulna district are among the most affected. Besides, the crops of several boro farmers in Digholia, Fultola, Dakop and Paikgasa upazilas have been also been affected by rice blast disease.
BRRI dhan 28, 67, 63, 81, 89, 92, Hira dhan 2, and Subarna 3 varieties of rice are among the most cultivated.
Paddy cultivated in Abhaynagar, Manirampur and Sadar upazilas of Jashore is also suffering from rice blast disease.
Besides, the paddy cultivated in every upazila of Bagerhat and Satkhira has been more or less affected by the disease. In addition, the crops have also suffered heat damage due to the weather.
Md Yasin of Satkhira's Assasuni upazila said, “Some paddy fields in this area have been damaged by rice blast disease. There is nothing but empty husks left in the fields.”
Kamrul Islam, a farmer of Koyra’s Maharajpur union cultivated BRRI dhan 28 on 3.5 bighas of land this season at a cost of Tk 55,000. “A good amount of my harvest turned out to be damaged from rice blast disease. Another fellow farmer lost all of his harvests on two bighas to the disease.”
Uttam Dutta, a farmer of Abhaynagar’s Siddhipasha union cultivated paddy on 10 bighas of land in Nalamara Beel. “Rice blast disease has spread in the paddy of about three bighas. The cures do not seem to be working. I might lose all my crop.”
Farmers have suffered a lot of damage due to the disease in various areas including Mechaghona, Magurkhali, Koipukuria, Ula, Raghunathpur, Atlia, Shorafpur, Sahos, Gutudia, Shovna, Rudaghora, and Kharnia in Dumuria upazila of Khulna.
The disease has mostly affected BRRI dhan 28 variety.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), heat damage and rice blast disease have affected some paddy fields in the region. In addition to this, bacterial leaf blight, bacterial panicle blight and brown planthopper are attacking boro fields.
The DAE is constantly monitoring and distributing leaflets on the prevention of these diseases. Weekly leave of all upazila-level officers and employees of Khulna district has been cancelled to stand by the farmers.
Jashore DAE Deputy Director Manjurul Haque said this year Boro paddy has been cultivated on 1.6 lakh hectares of land in the district.
“A small number of field crops are affected by blast disease in some isolated areas. But it is less than one per cent of the total cultivation. This will not have any impact on our total production,” he added.
Khulna DAE Deputy Director Kazi Jahangir Hossain said that Boro plants of about 20 hectares of land have been affected by the rice blast disease among the total cultivation of 63,790 hectares of land in the district.
“Prevention measures have been taken and the situation is currently under control. Weekly leave of all officials and employees of the upazila has been cancelled to support the farmers,” he said.
According to Bagerhat DAE Deputy Director Md Rafiqul Islam, Boro paddy is mostly cultivated in fish enclosures or areas adjacent to enclosures as the soil is optimal for rice farming.
“After the light rain and storm in late March and then the last few days of hot weather, blast disease has been discovered in some areas. However, union-based agriculturist squads are being formed in the upazila and they are working round the clock to help the farmers,” he said, adding that the situation is under control.
According to the official, Boro paddy has been cultivated on 62,169 hectares of land in the district this year which is 2,519 hectares more than last.
Satkhira DAE Deputy Director Md Saiful Islam said, “It is only natural for crops to be affected by insects or diseases sometimes. I have not heard of any extensive damage in the district. And our field-level officers are always ready to provide the farmers with any sort of assistance as necessary.”
Boro paddy has been cultivated in 79,526 hectares of land in Satkhira this season.
Khulna Regional DAE’s Additional Director Mohan Kumar Ghosh said “The farmers have exceeded the Boro plantation target in the region. However, the drizzling cloudy weather a few weeks ago led to the inevitable attack of rice blast disease.”
“Farmers are informed about the prevention and treatment of the disease. Those who followed the instructions were able to save their crops. The rest of the damaged crop will not affect the overall production much,” he added.
Rice blast, also known as rice rotten neck, is caused by fungal infection and is one of the most destructive diseases of rice. The agriculture department usually discourages farmers to cultivate BRRI dhan 28 as it is a relatively old variety and prone to diseases.
