The boro crop has been bumper in 137 haors across the 12 upazilas of Sunamganj, known as a downstream district. Farmers began cutting it on Pahela Boishakh. But a sudden weather office forecast of heavy rain and runoff from upstream has now spread fear across the haor area.

In the current season 10 lakh haor farmers in Sunamganj grew boro. The yield is better than in other years, but nor'westers, hailstorms and rising river levels have already begun, so farmers are harvesting in fear and anxiety, unsure whether they will get the crop home.

Following Meteorological Department forecasts of heavy rain and hail from 3 May, the agriculture department is advising farmers in the field to cut ripe paddy in the 137 haors quickly to avoid crop losses.

Haor farmers say they have been harvesting fast since hearing the forecast, because once the rain starts or the runoff comes, the crop they dreamed of will go under.

According to the agriculture department, farmers grew boro on 2,23,245 hectares in Sunamganj this season, which will produce 13,70,202 tonnes of paddy worth Tk 4,110 crore.

Bimal Chandra Som, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension, told Jago News that farmers are being helped and advised to get the paddy home, including cutting it once 80 per cent has ripened, drying it quickly and moving it to safety. About 80 per cent of the district's paddy has already been harvested, he said.

Mamun Howlader, executive engineer of the Water Development Board, told Jago News that 26 mm of rain had been recorded in Sunamganj in the past 24 hours and all rivers were rising. Hill runoff could create a flood situation in Sunamganj from 3 to 7 May, he said.

Earlier this season, rainwater logging in Dekhar haor submerged 60 hectares of farmers' boro paddy worth nearly a crore taka.

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