Aman growers upset for additional cost
Growers of Aman paddy in the district are upset because lack of sufficient rain raised the production cost of the crop as they had to use underground water for irrigation.
Production has also fallen due to lack of rainwater.
Farmer Dinanath Barmon, 67, of Uttar Gobdha village in Aditmari upazila, said this was the first time in his life that he used underground water for irrigation.
“We got 12 to15 maunds of paddy per bigha of land last year, but 10 to 12 maunds this year,” said Hemanata Chandra Roy, 65, of the village. They spent additional Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,500 per bigha for irrigation, he added.
Delowar Hossain, 58, of Sreekhata village in Kaliganj upazila, said he got 104 maunds from eight bighas spending Tk 26,000 last year, but he got only 81 maunds spending Tk 38,000 this year. “We got only 20 percent rainwater and had to use the rest 80 percent from underground water, spending extra money,” he added.
“We are selling Aman paddy at Tk 500 to Tk 550 per maund, while it was Tk 550 to Tk 600 last year,” said Nurul Islam, 52, of Kulaghat village in Sadar upazila.
Lalmonirhat Department of Agriculture Extension Deputy Director Bidhubhushon Roy said Aman was cultivated on 84,845 hectares of land in five upazilas this year, while it was 84,130 hectares last year.
Aman growers are unhappy over additional production cost and less production this year, but they are satisfied over the high prices of paddy straw, he said. “Many farmers get nearly 50 percent of Aman production cost from selling straw,” he added.
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