The vast fields of Sharsha and Benapole in Jashore are now a sea of green, with young paddy swaying in the southern spring breeze and, in that sway, the hopes of thousands of farmers. The fresh scent and rippling green of the paddy fields in the heat of Chaitra suggest a bumper Boro yield is only a matter of time. Despite the global crisis, uninterrupted irrigation has brought this green abundance to the Boro fields.

Farmers say that so far this Boro season they have had no worries over irrigation. With uninterrupted electricity and diesel available as needed, they have been able to irrigate their Boro fields as required. Their irrigation depends on electricity and diesel, and with these two key inputs uninterrupted, they have had no worries.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Sharsha upazila, Boro paddy has been grown on 23,435 hectares in the upazila this season, against a target of 23,430 hectares. That is 24 hectares more than last season, when Boro was grown on 23,411 hectares.

Despite the global crisis and the larger area, farmers have no worries about irrigation. Although there is load-shedding now, farmers had enough electricity until a few days ago, and where irrigation depends on diesel-powered machines, they got enough diesel. With both, farmers have been able to irrigate their Boro as convenient.

Mashiur Rahman, a farmer in Bagachra village of Sharsha upazila, said: "I have grown Boro on 10 bighas this year. Seven bighas depend on electric pumps and three bighas on diesel-powered machines. Since there was no shortage of either electricity or diesel, I had no problem with irrigation. When I went to the pump with a certificate from the agriculture officer, I got as much diesel as I needed."

Debashish Kumar Bhattacharya, deputy general manager (Sharsha zonal office) of Jashore Palli Bidyut Samity-1, said: "Despite the crisis, thanks to the government's sincerity, we have been able to give farmers uninterrupted electricity this time. That is why we have not received any complaints from farmers so far. The Boro season has been completed smoothly this time."

Dipak Kumar Saha, an official of the DAE in Sharsha, said: "No farmer has complained to us so far about Boro irrigation. With electricity as needed as well as diesel, farmers have had no difficulty irrigating their Boro."

He said: "Boro has been grown on 24 hectares more land than last year. Last season Boro was grown on 23,411 hectares; this season it has been grown on 23,435 hectares. The yield is also very good. BRRI dhan50, BRRI dhan63 and Red Miniket varieties have been grown most."

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