Farmers in Manikganj district are spending busy days in the fields bringing in their khesari (grass pea) crop, uprooting, threshing and stacking it. They hope the khesari will make up for a whole year's losses.

Farmers say yields are lower this year and other crops did not bring much profit either. Khesari costs little to grow, and if prices are good they hope to make some profit.

According to the Manikganj district office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), khesari was grown on 2,014 hectares in the district last fiscal year. This year it has been grown on 1,942 hectares, 72 hectares less than last year.

Manik Dewan, a farmer of Uvajani village, told Jagonews: "I have grown khesari on 8 bighas. The yield is lower than last year. Farmers have no income. Labourers cost more. On top of that the rain has troubled us. The threshing is still not finished."

Sabir Ali, who came from Kurigram to work, said: "I have come from Kurigram to cut khesari. It has been 10-12 days. I will work a few more days and go home. I will celebrate Eid at home. I am paid Tk 600 a day."

Rajib, a class five student, said: "Alongside my studies I help my father and uncle with farm work. Now I am breaking up the khesari for threshing. In a little while we will thresh it."

Farmer Rabiul Dewan said: "We used to get 5 maunds of khesari per bigha. This year it may come to 4 maunds per bigha. Because we got low prices for other crops this year, we are at a loss. I hope we can recover the losses from the earlier crops."

Dr Rabiah Nur Ahmed, deputy director of the district DAE, told Jagonews: "Because there have been no floods in the district, khesari cultivation is declining. Khesari has to be broadcast on the land as soon as floodwater recedes. The fall in yield is also because of the floods. Earlier, when there were floods, silt was deposited on the soil. Where more silt is deposited, the crop will be better."

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