Blast attack fear grips Jhenidah wheat growers

Farmers in the district have been discouraged from cultivating wheat in the current season, fearing a severe blast attack on the croplands.

Officials of district agriculture department said they are suggesting the local growers to cultivate lentil, maize or other crops this year, instead of wheat.

According to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Jhenidah, about 8,256 hectares of land were brought under wheat farming in 2014-15 fiscal year, 10,320 hectares in 2015-16 and 3,015 hectares in 2016-17, while 2,563 hectares have been brought under cultivation in the current fiscal year.

Of the land, 120 hectares are in Kaliganj upazila, 113 hectares in Sadar, 1,940 hectares in Shailakupa, 160 hectares in Harinakundo, 750 hectares in Moheshpur and 20 hectares in Kotchandpur upazilas have been have been brought under wheat cultivation.    

Arman Hossain, a farmer of Enayetpur village in Kaliganj upazila, said he cultivated wheat on 15 decimals of land compared to five decimals last year to meet his family demand, ignoring the advice of the agriculture officials.

DAE Deputy Director (DD) GM Abdur Rauf in Jhenidah said they have been motivating farmers to cultivate lentil, maize or other suitable crops on their lands instead of wheat this season as blast is a seed borne disease.

They fear that the growers may incur huge loss as the disease spreads to other crops very swiftly, he added.

"Besides, we are providing support to the farmers who are farming wheat to meet their family need," he said, adding that a new variety of BARI Wheat-33 is a blast proof seed which is currently not available. 

The suggestions were made after wheat on vast tracts of land was attacked by the blast disease in some areas across the country last season.

As they apprehend blast attack once again, they were compelled to discourage the farmers from cultivating wheat this year, the DD said.