Fog, cold harm Boro seedbeds
Boro seedbeds in many areas of Lalmonirhat district are turning yellowish under the impact of the ongoing cold wave and dense fog.
Farmers are now worried about rise in the production cost as many of them will have to sow seeds again to cultivate the paddy due to damage of seedlings caused by the adverse weather.
Several farmers said they are covering their seedbeds with polythene sheets but it does not help much to prevent the damage due to lack of sunlight.
Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Enamul Haque said Boro seedbeds in some areas of the district are affected due to severe cold and fog but seedlings won’t be damaged if the weather improves shortly.
“We suggest the farmers to water seedbeds at night, cover them with polythene sheets and use proper fertiliser to save seedlings from the harmful effects of cold and fog. Our officials are visiting the fields and sharing views with farmers on ways to save the seedlings,” he said.
Afzal Hossain, 65, a farmer at Sakoya village in Aditmari upazila said cold and fog has caused damaged to two-week-old seedlings on his 25 decimals of land.
“Boro seedlings on many seedbeds here have already turned yellowish due to lack of sunlight for the last few days. It will not be possible for me to cultivate the crop this year if seedlings on my 20 decimals of land are completely damaged,” said Nayeb Ali, 55, another farmer of the village.
“If the cold and fog continues for more several days, our Boro seedlings will be badly damaged and we will face seedling crisis during Boro transplantation in January,” said Delowar Hossain, 58, a farmer at Rajpur village in a Teesta river basin area of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.
The Department of Agriculture Extension in Lalmonirhat has set a target of Boro cultivation on 70,000 hectares of land, including high yielding varieties on 48,000 hectares, in five upazilas of the district.
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