Manikganj district has had a bumper aman crop this year. Golden paddy sways across the fields, and farmers are pleased. With the crop ripening, farmers and labourers are busy cutting and threshing. They hope to cover their costs and pay off their debts.

According to the district agriculture office, the target was 35,550 hectares but aman was grown on 31,649 hectares. Last year it was grown on 36,972 hectares, producing 69,164 tonnes. The office puts this year's fall in aman area at 1,422 hectares. So far, 30 per cent of the paddy has been cut, and harvesting will finish in the next 15-20 days. The district agriculture office expects farmers to get good prices then.

Mithun Ahmed of Bathoimuri village said: "The flood water was not very high, and there was no pest attack, so costs were low this time. There was heavy rain, but it did not cause any real problem for the crop. So the yield is bumper. In a few days I will be able to cut and thresh all the paddy and bring it home."

Roton Dewan of Uvajani village in Ghior upazila said: "I grew five bighas of aman this year and expect close to 40 maunds of paddy. Aman needs no fertiliser or pesticide, so costs are low. I hope to have something left after repaying the loan."

Robiul of the same village said: "I hear paddy prices are good this year. But harvest labour costs a bit more than last time. Each labourer must be paid Tk 600 to Tk 700 plus three meals."

Paddy trader Almas Ali said: "Aman paddy has started coming to the market this year. We bought today at Tk 1,100 to Tk 1,200. It looks as if prices may rise further."

Dr Robiah Nur Ahmed, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Manikganj, said: "On the agriculture office's advice, transplanted aman was grown on 11,462 hectares last year and on 12,038 hectares this year. Broadcast aman was grown on 12,510 hectares last year and on 19,611 hectares this year. I hope farmers will get better prices this year than last year."

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