Dense fog and severe cold are damaging boro paddy seedbeds in various parts of Meherpur, putting farmers in trouble. They fear the damage could hamper the boro cultivation target. The agriculture department, however, is giving advice on protecting the seedbeds.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the district's boro cultivation target for this season is 19,555 hectares.

A visit to the area found paddy seedlings turning yellow. Some are turning reddish and others are rotting. Spraying pesticide on the agriculture department's advice is not helping, and even watering is not bringing back the seedlings' green colour.

Inchhan Ali, a farmer from Amjhupi village in Meherpur Sadar upazila, plans to grow paddy on four bighas this boro season but is in trouble with his seedbed. For several days the severe cold has been ruining it. The seedlings have turned yellow and spraying pesticide has not helped. Inchhan is worried about getting seedlings in time.

Another farmer, Chhabdar Ali, has raised seedlings to grow paddy on three bighas. Because of the dense fog and cold, his seedlings are about to be ruined. To save them he is now applying urea fertiliser and Siovit. "If the seedlings can't be saved, we'll be in great danger," Chhabdar said.

Abdul Baki, a farmer from Govipur village in Sadar upazila, said: "The seedlings are turning reddish because of the heavy fog and bitter cold. Applying fungicide isn't working. I'm worried."

Farmer Rafiul Islam said: "On the agriculture office's advice we have tried many things, including giving tubewell water, but the seedbed can't be saved. Buying seedlings to plant will also be hard, because most farmers are in the same situation. So I'm worried about how I'll grow boro."

Farmer Samirul said: "Agriculture officers come and advise us to keep water in the beds and use polythene. But because it raises costs, many people are not keen on polythene. The fungicides being recommended are not working. It's just a waste of money. If the biting cold and cold wave last a few more days, most seedbeds will be ruined."

Shankar Kumar Majumder, deputy director of the DAE in Meherpur, told Jago News that the current weather could damage seedbeds and that the agriculture department is giving farmers the necessary advice. Farmers are being advised to hold water in the seedbeds every night and release it in the morning. To protect against dense fog, they are also being advised to cover the beds with polythene every night and to spray fungicide. Other crops, however, will not suffer much damage, he said.

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