Most of the Boro rice has been harvested, and this year the harvest was almost complete before the nor'westers (kalbaishakhi) struck, Shykh Seraj reports. In some areas late-planted rice is still being cut, but very little remains. Agricultural mechanisation played a big role in the rapid harvest despite the coronavirus situation; both last year and this year, farmers were able to benefit from machines.

The government has taken up a Tk 3,020 crore farm mechanisation project with its own funds. Harvesting and other farm machinery is being given to farmers with subsidies of 50 to 70 percent depending on the region.

• Last year 1,240 combine harvesters were deployed to cut rice.
• This year another 1,380 went into the fields, bringing the total to 2,620 harvesters in operation.
• A total of 789 reapers are also working.

Despite the labour shortage, rice is being harvested quickly, and lower production costs are making farmers more profitable.

Source: Shykh Seraj, Hridoye Mati O Manush. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.