Farmers harvesting half-ripe paddy
Several hundred bighas of Boro fields in Pabna's Bera and Santhia upazilas have been submerged due to torrential rains and farmers are fearing loss while they are harvesting half-ripe crops.
Moreover, the unavailability of farm labourers is badly hampering the harvest from the waterlogged fields, farmers said.
Farmer Golzar Hossain of village Koromza in Santhia upazila cultivated Boro paddy on his five bighas of land in Eitkata beel expecting a bumper yield but suddenly the rainwater has wreaked havoc.
"I need at least one week more to complete harvesting as the paddy field has gone under water," Golzar said.
"Due to unavailability of farm labourers, I could not complete harvesting my paddy till now," he said.
Farmer Omor Mollah of village Chakla in Bera upazila, however, said that he cultivated three bighas of land in Sondah beel this year but the paddy field has completely gone under.
"I have been harvesting half-ripe paddy since last week and half of the cropland is yet to be harvested," he said.
"If I cannot complete harvesting paddy within this week, most of the crop will be damaged," Omor added.
Talking with the affected farmers, it could be learnt that over 500 bighas of crop fields in Koromza, Sonatola, Vitagara, Patgari, Shorisha in Shanthia upazila and Chakla, Pachuria, Koitola areas of Bera upazila have submerged.
Some of the farmers claimed that the waterlogging situation has been created as fish farmers have obstructed the drainage of rainwaters.
Worrying about more rains in the coming days, many farmers have started harvesting half-ripe paddy in low-lying areas in both upazilas.
Talking with The Daily Star, Md Mizanur Rahman, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Pabna, said, "We have taken prompt steps to flush out stagnant water from the waterlogged crop fields."
The official, however, said that it was a temporary problem and there was nothing to be worried.
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