In Kishoreganj, the government paddy procurement drive has begun at the same time as thousands of farmers are in trouble after continuous rain and upstream water flooded wide stretches of the haor region. About 9,045 hectares of boro paddy in the district is now under water, leaving farmers deeply uncertain about bringing the golden crop home.

According to the district food office, a target has been set to procure 18,330 tonnes of paddy this season from 13 upazilas at Tk 36 a kg (Tk 1,440 a maund). The drive began on 3 May and will run until 31 August. Farmers are in difficulty, however, because paddy sold to government warehouses must be of good quality and dry. With the rain, they cannot dry the paddy enough to meet the moisture requirement, and a labour shortage is also making it hard to harvest.

A farmer can sell up to 75 maunds. All payments will be made through the banking system, with no cash transactions, which those involved say will ensure transparency. Paddy will be bought from farmers listed by the agriculture office as well as from holders of farmer cards.

Alal Mia, a farmer in Austagram, said: "Our golden paddy has gone under the rainwater. We can't cut it with machines because of the water. There is a shortage of labourers, and they can't be found even for higher wages. Most farmers have suffered losses this year."

Another farmer, Jalal Uddin, said: "Those of us who managed to cut our paddy somehow still have problems. With no sunshine we can't dry it, so we can't bring the moisture down to meet the government warehouse's condition. The price of paddy on the market is low as well. We are now under pressure from both sides."

Md Mosharraf Hossain, assistant food controller for Kishoreganj, said a target of 18,330 tonnes has been set for the district's 13 upazilas this season, and buying began today at Tk 36 a kg. However, wet or poor-quality paddy will not be accepted under any circumstances, he said.

Although the administration has promised support, there is uncertainty over how much paddy will finally be brought home in this disaster and how much will reach government warehouses. More than the procurement target, the farmer's struggle to survive has now become the bigger question.

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