A bumper crop of transplanted aman has brought smiles to farmers in Magura. Farmers have already cut paddy from their fields and are now busy threshing. Heavy rain this season led to aman being grown on both cultivated and fallow land in Magura district, and rice yields have risen several times over. Timely sun and rain have given the district a bumper aman crop this year.

According to the Magura upazila agriculture extension office, this year's target for transplanted aman in Sadar upazila was 23,655 hectares, with a production target of 98,920 tonnes.

Sushanta Kumar Pramanik, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Magura district, told Jago News in an interview that the target for transplanted aman was 61,465 hectares, and this season aman was grown on 61,470 hectares, including 10,030 hectares of hybrid rice. Overall conditions in the fields are good, he said.

Tipu Shikder, a farmer in Magura Sadar upazila, said: "This time I grew different varieties of rice on 15 bighas. Because of plenty of rain, the yield is good. If we get a fair price in the market, we won't have to make a loss on the paddy." Akidul Sheikh of Srikuntigram in the same upazila said the aman yield is better this year than in other years and he hopes to get the right market price.

Sohel Mia, a farmer from Bhayna Dakshin Para in ward 2 of Magura municipality, said he grew aman on four bighas this year and the crop is good. "I am happy to have golden paddy," he said, adding that the yield is better than in other years because there were fewer pests and diseases.

Hafizar, a farmer from Stadium Para in Magura town, said farmers will not profit if paddy prices stay at current market levels. There is some shortage of labour because of the coronavirus pandemic, and workers are demanding higher wages because of it, he said.

According to available information, Magura district has 26 combine harvesters, 4 rice transplanters and 33 reapers. One combine harvester can cut the paddy on an acre of land in an hour.

This makes it possible to harvest while saving three per cent of the cost. Small farmers say a machine can be hired for Tk 4,000 to harvest an acre, which they believe reduces the cost and time of producing rice somewhat.

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