Farmers in the 16 unions and two municipalities of Mirsarai upazila in Chattogram are worried about the effects of Cyclone Sitrang. Rain and wind since the night of 23 October have flattened transplanted aman seedlings in various areas, and water has collected in fields sown with winter vegetables.

Aman has been grown on 19,750 hectares in the upazila this year. Because the rain did not come on time, aman seedlings were transplanted late. Winter vegetables have also been grown on 1,200 acres across the upazila, and waterlogging from the rain could damage them.

Abu Taher, a farmer in Durgapur union, said: "This year I couldn't grow aman on time because of the water situation. I transplanted aman seedlings on 80 decimals of land a little late, using irrigation water. The rain and wind of the last two days have flattened almost all the plants. I fear the crop will rot in the rainwater."

Golam Mostafa, a farmer in the Ambaria area, said: "I've grown red amaranth on some land and radish greens on some. Rainwater is standing in the fields. If the rain doesn't stop, the crops could be ruined."

Farmer Shahab Uddin said: "I sowed winter yardlong bean seed four days ago. When I went on Monday afternoon, I found everything had been washed into the soil by the rain. Once the rain stops, I'll have to sow again."

Upazila agriculture officer Raghunath Naha said: "Aman paddy and winter vegetables could suffer some damage from Cyclone Sitrang. Farmers have been told to harvest any ripe aman paddy quickly."

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