Harvesting of early IRRI-Boro paddy has begun in the northern district of Joypurhat. Despite the intense heat, farmers are busy cutting, threshing and carrying the crop, and women too are helping happily to dry the paddy and bring it home. With no storms or rain, they hope for a good yield. Labourers have come from different parts of the country to cut the paddy. Farmers say they will be happy if they now get a good price.
Area and target
According to the district office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the target for Boro cultivation in Joypurhat in the 2022-2023 season was 69,750 hectares, and 69,600 hectares were achieved. Last year Boro was grown on 69,277 hectares.
This year various high-yielding (HYV) varieties were grown on 62,875 hectares and hybrid varieties on 6,725 hectares. The production target has been set at 2 lakh 81 thousand 686 metric tonnes.
A visit to several villages in Sadar upazila found golden paddy covering the fields. With favourable weather, early varieties are being cut quickly. Harvesting has started of the early Boro varieties Shubhalata and short Zirashail. The full harvesting season will begin from the second week of May.
Farmers' hopes and fears
Belal Hossain, a farmer from the Jamalganj Pakar Matha area of Sadar upazila, told Jago News: "This time I grew early Boro paddy on 10 bighas. The yield is good. If I get a good price for the paddy, I will make a profit."
Mosharraf Hossain of Dharki Pakarmatha in Sadar upazila told Jago News: "I have grown Boro paddy on 9 bighas this time. Seeing the bumper crop, I have forgotten all the hardship. If there are no storms or rain, I will be able to bring home a good amount of paddy."
Farid Mondol of the same village said: "This time I grew Boro on 3 bighas. The yield is good and I am happy. But production costs have gone up because fuel and other farm inputs are expensive, so there is a fear of losses if we don't get a good price for paddy in the market."
DAE deputy director Agriculturist Mst Rahela Parvin told Jago News: "With no natural disaster, there has been a bumper Boro crop this time. Farmers in the district have been given the advice they need on cutting and threshing so that they can bring home the Boro crop at the right time. Production may exceed the target this year."
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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