Paddy varieties going extinct

Once farmers of Pirojpur used to cultivate more than 50 varieties of paddy during Aman season. But currently, only five to six varieties exist as the rest appear to have vanished, according to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

Low production from local varieties of paddy and unwillingness to take farming as a profession are the primary reasons behind the extinction of most local varieties, farmers said.

Kartikshaiyl, Kajalshaiyl, Naijarshaiyl, Sadamota, Lalmota, Kharamota, Lalkartik, Monteshwar, Dudkalam, Nonakhurchi, Rajashaiyl, Lakma, Chapshaiyl, Ghegosh, Betichikan, Naspati and Charbaleshwar were among the major varieties of paddy.

But currently, Sadamota, Lalmota, Monteshwar, Dudkalam and some hybrid varieties are popular among farmers, as those are more profitable due to their high yield, said farmers.

"As farming was the profession of our forefathers, we are engaged with it till now," said Jahidul Islam, a farmer of Kalaiya village of Pirojpur's Indurkani upazila. "But, we can't cultivate all the varieties our forefathers used to as most of them do not exist anymore."

Farmers said in the past, they would meet the demand of paddy on their own fields.

"We even used to collect these varieties of rice for different purposes like making cake, puffed rice and flavoured rice," said elderly farmer Abdul Latif Howlder.

People are now not interested in taking farming as a profession. Instead of farming, they like to work in other sectors such as construction and public transport, he said.

"During the peak season of cultivating and harvesting paddy, it gets difficult to arrange labourers even with high payment," said another farmer Romis Howlader.

Besides, low production from local varieties is another reason behind these varieties going extinct.

Farmer Mohammad Shahjahan said, "Cost of farming is also increasing alarmingly but farmers can't get expected profit from this sector."

Admitting to the issue, Mohammad Nazrul Islam Sikder, deputy director of DAE in Pirojpur, said, "As farmers have to produce more paddy on limited land, they are interested in cultivating different hybrid varieties. They also cultivate a handful of local varieties as those are profitable."

Bangladesh Rice Research Institute has revived many of the traditional varieties but their qualities are not the same, he added.