Downpour, windstorm extensively damage Aman paddy in Rangpur

Farmers in different upazilas of Rangpur district and Naogaon district are disappointed as heavy downpour and strong wind in the past several days have flattened and submerged standing Aman paddy, newly planted potato seeds, and early winter vegetables, causing massive damage to the crops.

Our Correspondent from Rangpur reports: Expressing frustration, a number of cultivators told The Financial Express that the unseasonal weather came as a severe blow to them, raising fear of a massive crop failure.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Rangpur, Aman paddy was cultivated on a total of 166,940 hectares of land in eight upazilas of the district in the current season.

Joynal Mia, an Aman cultivator of Mirzapur area in Mithapukur upazila under the district, told The Financial Express, "This year I cultivated Aman paddy on two bighas of land with the optimism to achieve a good harvest. But all my hopes have been shattered by untimely heavy rainfall and strong wind that wreaked havoc on my standing half-ripe and ripe paddy. I may not be able to attain expected Aman yield this year."

Hakim Ali, a cultivator of Haragachh in Kaunia upazila told the FE that he had cultivated short- duration Aman paddy on three bighas of land and could harvest paddy from only one bigha six days before; but subsequently failed to harvest the rest portion from the crop land which remained waterlogged owing to the inclement weather condition.

Apprehending extensive losses, Amirul , another cultivator of Vendabari area of Pirganj upazila, told The Financial Express that he had cultivated Aman on four bighas of land this season. Now he is worried about getting his desired yield as more than two bighas of ripe paddy plants out of the total cultivated on four bighas have been flattened by strong wind and heavy rainfall in the past four days.

He said if the paddy plants remain under water for the next 5 or 6 days more, the entire crop will perish.

Talking to The Financial Express, a good number of growers said that they might get 3 to 4 maunds less yield on per bigha of land than their expectation as strong wind as well as heavy downpour caused massive damage to their ripe and semi-ripe Aman crops during past several days. Similarly, some cultivators expressed frustration over the circumstances and said they were likely to harvest their ripe Aman crop within two to three days, but wind and rain flattened the crop on the fields. Paddy plants have fallen flat and remained under water. Presently, their preparation to harvest the crop is severely being hindered because of stagnant water on their crop lands.

Md Enamul Haque, District Training Officer, DAE, Rangpur, told the FE that harvest of short duration Aman paddy has been completed in most of the areas under the district .The rest of the paddy which is still in the fields might perish on account of waterlogged condition. If the cultivators can tie up their flattened paddy plants as soon as possible, they may be able to avoid extensive losses, he further said.

UNB adds from Naogaon, farmers in the northern district of Naogaon are struggling with fresh uncertainty as unseasonal rain, triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, has damaged prepared seedbeds for early winter vegetables and partially ripe Aman paddy.

Potato fields, in particular, have been affected, causing concern among growers hoping to recover losses from last year.

Agriculture officials said stagnant water in the fields has raised fears of widespread damage to newly planted potato seeds, transplanted Aman paddy and early winter vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, chili, eggplant and radish.

Many plants, they said, are lying flattened in waterlogged fields across several upazilas.

According to the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Aman has been cultivated on 193,000 hectares this year, while early winter vegetables cover 1,845 hectares.

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