Farmers worried about crop damage due to rain in Sariakandi

In the Sariakandi Upazila of Bogra, the recent rains accompanied by strong winds over the past three days have inflicted significant damage on semi-ripe Aman paddy. The plants have been bent by the wind, causing concern among Aman farmers. Additionally, there is apprehension regarding potential damage to various crops, including vegetables, onions, corn, mustard, lentils, khesari, and peanuts.

As reported by the Sariakandi Upazila Agriculture Office, during the recent rainfall, 260 hectares of Aman paddy out of a total of 13,000 hectares, 40 hectares of chili from 2,590 hectares, 30 hectares of assorted vegetables, 10 hectares of maize, one hectare of onion, 15 hectares of mustard, five hectares of lentils, five hectares of khesari, and two hectares of peanuts are at risk of damage due to the excessive rainfall.

In various regions of the upazila, it has been observed that the ears of semi-ripe Aman paddy have fallen to the ground and are submerged in water. Farmers are concerned that this will adversely affect both the yield and quality. The heavy rainfall has also led to water accumulation in the fields of chili plants that have either just sprouted or are in the harvesting phase in the char areas of the upazila.

In certain locations, chili plants have toppled over. In other areas, the branches of the chili plants have broken due to the wind, and some have fallen again. However, the newly sprouted mustard plants in fields where farmers had previously cultivated mustard have been washed away by the rain, raising fears among farmers that these plants will be lost.

Abdul Majid, a farmer from Amtali village in the Fulbari union area of Sariakandi upazila, has cultivated Aman on one and a half bighas of land. He was expecting to harvest the paddy in a couple of weeks. He stated, "It was time to harvest the paddy after much hard work, but the rain has destroyed the ripe paddy. The land is waterlogged, and the ears are getting wet. Following the agriculture officer's advice, I have bundled the paddy.

Upazila Agriculture Officer, Agrobiologist Mohammad Ali Jinnah said, The Upazila Agriculture Office is recommending that farmers bundle and secure the fallen paddy plants; this action will help mitigate damage to some degree. Farmers are also promptly draining excess water from the flooded fields and sharing this guidance with their peers. I am personally assessing the impacted areas and providing advice to the farmers.

Additionally, the Deputy Assistant Agricultural Officers in each union are collaborating with the farmers on-site. This collective effort will aid in minimizing the extent of the damage.