Good yield of <i>jhum</i> paddy in CHT hills

Indigenous jhum farmers harvesting paddy at Chhotoharina under Barkal upazila in Rangamati.Photo: STAR

Indigenous farmers have started harvesting jhum paddy in three hill districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) with a hope of a good yield this year.
Because of favourable climate and sufficient rainfalls, about 15,000 metric tons (MT) of paddy worth about Tk 30 crore is likely to be produced in the entire CHT region this season, sources in the of Agriculture Extension Department (AED) said.
As many as 12,360 hectares of hilly lands were brought under jhum cultivation in three hill districts this year, they said.
The break-up was 4,530 hectares in Rangamati, 7,680 hectares in Bandarban and 2,150 hectares in Khagrachhari.
It is expected that about 1.5 MT of paddy will be produced in each hectare of land this year. Last year, it was almost nil due to massive invasion by rats.
AED here distributed hybrid rice seeds of BR-24, 26 and BIRI-27 this season among the jhum farmers to raise rice production, DAE experts said.
Because of good yield, farmers are now celebrating 'Nabanna Utsab.'
Marginal and landless ethnic people of Chakma, Marma, Tangchangya, Mro, Bawm, Pankhua and Lusai communities cultivate jhum paddy in the hilly slopes although it causes environmental degradation.
They usually cultivate different varieties of rice like Sonalichigon, Galong, Kabarak, Amei, Bhuppoi, Pattigi and Binni, AED sources said.
This correspondent visited different jhum farms in Chhotohorina, Bhusionchhara, Bajaichhara and Ujjangchhari in Barkal upazila here.
Manikkya Ratan Chakma, a jhum farmer at Ujjangchhari in Barkal upazila said that he had cultivated paddy on his 40 acres of land this year. He hoped to get about 70 maunds of paddy.
Last year, he got only 20 maunds of paddy due to rat attack, he said.
Satya Ranjan Chakma, another farmer at Bajaichhar in the same upazila said he cultivated paddy on seven acres of land. I got a better yield this season.
I hope to feed my family members for five to seven months with jhum rice this year, he said.
Along with paddy, farmers cultivate maize, cucumber, green chili, sweet pumpkin, gourd, ladies finger, papaya as well as sesame and carpus (cotton) at their jhum farms.