Aman rice production in Lakshmipur has fallen to less than half this year because of floods from upstream water and continuous rain. With knee- or waist-deep water standing in fields in the eastern part of Sadar upazila and elsewhere, farmers could not plant aman on time.

There are allegations that the agriculture department did not supply seed and seedlings on time. Farmers who were able to plant, however, brought home good harvests, though many of them had to transplant seedlings more than once. They grew the crop with seed collected from government, local market and private sources and seedlings brought in from other districts.

According to the district agriculture department, the aman target in Lakshmipur this year was 83,200 hectares. But because of flooding and waterlogging, aman was grown on 35,770 hectares, cutting production of both rice and cattle fodder.

Of the 21 unions in Sadar upazila, farmers in Bhabaniganj, Char Ramani Mohan, Tumchar and Shakchar unions grew rice. In the other 17 unions, and on half the land of Kamalnagar and Ramgati upazilas, cultivation was not possible because of waterlogging.

Nizam Uddin of Charruhita village in Sadar said the rice seedlings in his field first rotted in floodwater. He then planted again on borrowed money, but all the rice was scorched. He said he received no government support.

Farmers Abul Kalam of the Char Lawrence area and Abdul Matin of Charkachia village said they got good rice this time thanks to careful crop care. They collected seed from the market as well as from government sources.

Tewariganj union parishad chairman Omar Ibne Hussain Bhulu said: "Rice could not be grown because of floodwater. Many fields had waist-deep water. Farmers were not given the government support they had hoped for."

Sub-assistant agriculture officer Kamal Hossain said: "After the flood, farmers were given BRRI dhan75, which let them plant quickly. Although less was grown this time, yields have been good."

Sohel Md Shamsuddin Firoz, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Lakshmipur, said farmers could not plant aman on time this year. They were given government support with seed and seedlings, and field-level officials stood by farmers to avoid losses, he said.

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