Key figures: aman was grown on 19,820 hectares this year, against 17,920 hectares in 2024, and 1,650 aman farmers received incentives this year.

The aman harvest festival is under way in Mirsarai, Chattogram, with farmers busy cutting paddy across the upazila's 16 unions and two municipalities. Aman cultivation has increased by 1,900 hectares in a year. Many farmers could not grow aman last year because of the flood; this year they have made up some of that loss and returned to the crop.

According to the upazila agriculture office, aman was grown on 19,850 hectares in the upazila's 16 unions and two municipalities in 2023. In 2024 cultivation fell by 1,930 hectares, a drop that broke all past records, to 17,920 hectares.

The agriculture office says Mirsarai suffered the worst flood in living memory in August 2024. Aman seedbeds of 12,800 farmers were damaged, and the transplanted aman of 13,100 farmers was damaged, so the area under aman fell. This year, with incentives and other support from the agriculture office, farmers have recovered somewhat from the flood losses.

According to the office, aman was grown on 19,820 hectares this year. Harvesting has already begun in one or two unions, and the crop is expected to be fully brought in within a week. This year 1,650 farmers received incentives for aman cultivation: 5 kg of seed and 20 kg of fertiliser each. Farmers are pleased and somewhat relieved to have received incentives after the flood.

In unions including Karerhat, Hinguli, Joarganj, Ichhakhali, Wahedpur and Saherkhali, golden aman paddy was swaying in the fields. Farmers have started harvesting in a few places, but in some areas cutting has not yet begun. It will take a few more days to finish.

Md Shahjahan, a farmer in Hinguli union, told Jago News: "I couldn't grow aman last year because of the flood. The transplanted aman on my 6 decimals of land was destroyed. This year I grew aman with seed and fertiliser from the agriculture office. The yield is good, but I haven't harvested yet. I'll cut it in a few days."

Abdul Hannan of Wahedpur union told Jago News: "The paddy has been cut and left in the field to dry. I'll bring it home in a day or two. The yield is good."

Mirsarai Upazila Agriculture Officer Pratap Chandra Roy told Jago News: "Aman cultivation fell last year because of the flood. Compared with last year, cultivation has risen by 1,900 hectares this year. We are trying to raise production through incentives and other support. The aman harvest is now under way and will take some days to finish."

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