Farmers in Pirganj, Rangpur, are struggling with their Aman crop as intense heat and a lack of rain leave fields short of water across the upazila's 15 unions and the municipality. In places the soil has cracked, and farmers fear the plants' growth will suffer, BSS reported.
In Raipur, Boro Dargah and the municipal area, the Aman season depends heavily on regular rain, but this year little has fallen, soil moisture is down and the sun dries the ground quickly. Many farmers are irrigating, but the extra cost worries small and marginal growers. The agriculture department says 32,800 hectares are under Aman in the upazila, with transplanted Aman on 25,595 hectares this season.
Abdur Razzak of Boro Dargah said there is no water in his field, he has had to irrigate and costs have risen sharply; without rain soon the yield will suffer. Majnu Mia of Raipur said his soil has cracked and the plants are not growing as before, though Aman is the family's main source of food and income for the year.
Mahamudul Hasan of Alampur said fields need plenty of water now, as the panicles emerge. Nazrul Islam of Kabilpur said Aman is normally grown on monsoon rain; when it fails, irrigation costs extra money, time and labour, and low-cost irrigation would help a great deal. Ranu Mia, a farmer in the municipality, also stressed the need for water at heading time.
Upazila agriculture officer Sumon Ahmed said farmers should irrigate as needed and keep their fields moist; officers are advising them in the field, and he expects rain in the coming days to limit the damage.
Photo: Parvezahmed / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: BSS
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