Floodwater coming down from upstream in India has submerged half-ripe paddy on about 450 bighas of land in Gomostapur upazila of Chapainawabganj. Over three days up to noon on Tuesday, 5 May, water entered wide stretches of land at Bil Tilna, Tilkuch, Sukhdoba and Gumrohil in the border union of Radhanagar, drowning paddy on at least 60 hectares. Facing losses, farmers are being forced to cut the half-ripe paddy early and take it home.

Farmers and agriculture officials said temporary earth embankments are being built in the bil to hold back the strong pressure of water from upstream. Farmers whose paddy has gone under water are now busy harvesting.

The sudden rise in water has also brought a labour shortage. With most farmers harvesting at the same time, demand for workers has grown several times over, adding to their hardship.

Farmer Rabiul Islam said: "I grew paddy on 10 bighas in Sukhdoba bil. All the paddy is still in the field. Paddy on two and a half bighas has already gone under water. I can't find labourers to cut it. We have become very helpless."

Another farmer, Ratan Ali, said: "Out of 10 bighas, I have somehow managed to bring home paddy from one bigha. The paddy on the other nine bighas is still lying in the field. For each bigha, we have to pay the labourers Tk 1,000 a person. On top of that there is boat hire, so bringing paddy home from the field costs twice the normal fare."

Gomostapur Upazila Agriculture Officer Saklain Hossain said the situation is now quite worrying. Farmers' paddy fields have been damaged by the water coming down from upstream. Efforts are being made to hold back the water with embankments, and farmers are being advised to harvest quickly to limit losses.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.