'Aloron' paddy helps farmers recoup losses from cyclones

An excellent yield of 'Aloron' paddy during the current aush season in the district so far has come as an upbeat message to the farmers.
In Barguna, where 90 percent farmers could not cultivate aush this season for the onslaught of cyclonic storm 'Mahasen', large scale production of the high-yielding 'Aloron' variety could largely help cover the paddy shortfall.
When the farmers in the coastal belt are yet to get back to normalcy from the losses they suffered during cyclones Sidr and Aila, 'Masasen' dealt them a further blow by damaging huge aush seedbeds this season.
Now the boom in production of 'Aloron' paddy has made the farmers confident that they would be able to recover the losses largely.
Farmers at Parboti village in Barguna Sadar union said, taking all risks, at least 37 farmers cultivated 'Aloron' collectively on 30.70 acres of land.
They are now reaping 80 to 90 maunds of paddy per acre.
Usually, they do not get more than 30 maunds of paddy per acre from other varieties.
Farmer Mostafa Khan said, usually they cultivated one crop in their land and did not get good production but they are now getting a double yield by cultivating 'Aloron' paddy.
At the initiative of Brac, a programme on agriculture and food security is being implemented simultaneously in 50 upazilas of 12 districts from July 2012.
This programme is now expanding and its activities will reach all the 64 districts by 2015.
In Barguna, 3,160 farmers in 81 villages are cultivating 'Aloron' paddy on 1826.24 acres during the aush season.
Brac's Agriculture and Food Security Programme sources said Tk 9,000 is given to each farmer to cultivate 'Aloron' paddy.