Rot disease has increased in rice fields in all upazilas of Jhenaidah this transplanted aman season. Pesticides and anti-rot treatments are not solving the problem, and farmers fear their fields will be ruined and are worried about yields. The agriculture department, however, says rot and stem borer attacks have not increased much so far.

On the ground, rot was seen in rice fields in various parts of Sadar, Shailkupa, Harinakunda, Maheshpur and Kotchandpur upazilas.

Farmers say anti-rot treatments and pesticides are not giving the results they want. Rice plants are being ruined overnight by the rot, and if this continues they will face serious losses.

The situation is reported to be the same in all upazilas of the district: Shailkupa, Sadar, Kaliganj, Harinakunda, Maheshpur and Kotchandpur. Rot is appearing at the base of the rice plants, and many plants are drying and turning white from attacks by an unidentified insect, hampering normal growth.

According to the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), aman has been grown on 1,04,000 hectares in the district's six upazilas this season, with a production target of 5,64,139 tonnes.

Ekhlas Uddin, a farmer from Nakoil village in Shailkupa upazila, said: "Since transplanting, many plants have been dying of rot. I keep using pesticide but it isn't working; only my costs are rising. If this goes on, everything will be lost."

Rashedul Islam of Sripur village in Kotchandpur upazila said insects are getting into the base of the plants and cutting the tips and leaves. The rice clumps have died and turned white, and rot has set in at the base.

Selim Uddin, a farmer from Kumrabaria village in Sadar upazila, said: "Growing rice pays for my family's expenses for the whole year. But this time I'm worried about the yield because of the insect attack. I don't know what to do."

Md Kamruzzaman, deputy director of the district DAE, said their field staff are working with farmers regularly, and advice and support at farmer level continue to ensure the expected aman yield and control the rot. "We will soon start field inspections to learn the real situation regarding the rot. So far we have not received any serious information about pest attacks on aman rice," he said.

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