In Muladuli, Ishwardi, in Pabna, bean fields stretch as far as the eye can see, their pink and white flowers standing out among green vines. Farmers of Muladuli union had pinned their hopes on early beans this year. But three days of continuous rain have turned those hopes into a nightmare. Hundreds of hectares of bean fields are now under water.

According to the Ishwardi upazila agriculture office, beans may be grown on 1,400 hectares in the upazila this year. Of this, early varieties have been planted on about 850 hectares. Early beans have started reaching the market, and farmers have begun preparing to grow winter beans and other vegetables.

Anwar Hossain, a bean farmer in Baghhasla village of Muladuli union, told Jago News that most farmland in Baghhasla has been planted with early beans, which have started to bear. Sudden continuous rain for four days from last Friday night has flooded most of the village's bean fields, leaving the base of the plants in particular under water. Bean plants usually die if they stay under water for two to three days. Water from the last few days' rain is still standing in every field. Unless it is drained quickly, most plants are likely to rot, and farmers will suffer heavy losses.

Anarul Islam, a bean farmer in Sheikhpara village, said the roots of the beans on his three bighas are completely under water, and there is little way to drain it. "If the water stays another day or two, the roots will rot. It cost me about Tk 1,20,000 to farm three bighas. The plants had just started bearing and I have sold about one maund. If the field is ruined now, I will be left destitute."

Romana Parvin, deputy agriculture officer for Muladuli union, told Jago News there is no drainage from farmland in the union's Goalbathan village, and its bean fields are under water. Not only Goalbathan but every surrounding village is waterlogged. Because the Kamla river, which flows through the union, has silted up, there is no way to drain the water. Whenever it rains the area becomes waterlogged, and crops on hundreds of hectares are being damaged.

Upazila agriculture officer Mita Sarkar told Jago News that Muladuli union in Ishwardi is famous for beans, with about 850 hectares planted every year. Early varieties have been widely grown this year. Recent heavy rain has waterlogged the fields, and because farmers have not kept proper drainage, the fields may be damaged.

She added that bean plants usually rot if their roots stay under water for three to four days. Once the water drains from the base of the plants, a fungicide must be sprayed quickly. Sub-assistant agriculture officers are advising farmers on this.

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