Cold wave, fog menace Irri-Boro seedbeds

Seedlings of Irri-Boro paddy fields turn yellowish as the cold wave accompanied by dense fog continues to lash different areas of the country, especially the northern region. The photo was taken from Mahadanga in Chapainawabganj district on Tuesday.Photo: STAR

Irri-Boro seedbeds in many areas of Chapainawabganj and Naogaon are turning yellowish and withering away due to cold wave and fog, much to the despair of farmers.
But the officials of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said the situation is now under control and it will not hamper the target of paddy cultivation in the current Irri-Boro season.
Seedbeds in 16 upazilas of the two districts are showing the symptoms, farmers and agriculture officials said.
Abdur Rakib, a farmer of Laxmanpur village under Nachole upazila in Chapainawabganj, said he prepared seedbed for cultivating Boro paddy but a portion of his seedbed was damaged due to cold weather.
Another farmer Mohammad Abdullah of Parbotipur village under Gomostapur upazila in the district said the seedbeds, prepared for Boro cultivation on 16 bighas of his land, have turned yellowish and got damaged.
However, both the farmers said the seedbeds of Barind region consisting of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon districts have been affected much due to water crisis.
Sources at the DAE in Chapainawabganj said farmers of five upazilas in the district have prepared seedbeds on 3,125 hectares of land, as there is a target of cultivating Irri-Boro paddy on 51,769 hectares of land this season.
Abdul Kuddus, deputy director of Chapainawabganj DAE, said they are advising farmers to use potash and zinc to save their seedbeds.
Habibur Rahman, a farmer of Bhimpur village under Niyamatpur upazila of Naogaon, said a portion of his seedbed has turned yellowish due to cold weather.
In Naogaon, farmers of 11 upazilas are preparing seedbeds on 11,575 hectares of land, about 2,000 hectares more than the target. The DAE has fixed a target of cultivating 1,93,957 hectares of land in this Irri-Boro season, officials said.
Gour Chandra, deputy assistant agriculture officer of Naogaon DAE office, said they are advising farmers to spray Thiovit immediately to save Irri-Boro seedbeds from the disease. However, the cultivation target in the district will not be affected in this season, he said.
Field workers and officials are advising farmers on what to do, said the agriculture officials of the two districts, adding that the situation is now under control.