Cyclone batters crops, submerges rice fields
Farmers in Cox’s Bazar are rushing to harvest their boro paddy crops ahead of schedule, fearing significant losses due to recent unseasonal rains and gusty winds. The fields, typically yielding a golden harvest in late spring, are now dotted with flattened stalks and waterlogged patches as farmers scramble to secure their produce.
The urgent harvest is a direct response to forecasts predicting more heavy rainfall and potential thunderstorms. With only about 15 to 20 days left until the planned harvest, any prolonged downpour could submerge the remaining paddy, leading to rot and widespread destruction. Farmers are choosing to cut their crops, even if partially mature, to mitigate the risk of total crop failure.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The Meteorological Department’s Cox’s Bazar office reported 48 millimeters of rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday morning. While skies were clearer on Monday, officials warned that heavy rain, thunder, and lightning could occur at any time, posing a risk of waterlogging in low-lying areas and landslides in hilly regions.
Farmers like Mojaher Miah, who cultivates boro on two acres in Khurushkul, have already seen about 30 percent of their crop flattened by recent squalls. “The stalks have fallen in the wind and are drowning in the water, ruining the grain,” Miah said, expressing his anxiety about further rains potentially turning the fields into a “flood-like” situation.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Across villages such as Nayapara, Teteya, and Palkara in Khurushkul, many paddy plants have been observed leaning or flattened. Official figures from the District Agriculture Extension Department indicate that boro paddy is being cultivated across 55,700 hectares in nine upazilas of Cox’s Bazar. Despite expectations of a bumper yield for hybrid, high-yielding, and local varieties, some farmers are already facing losses due to the recent adverse weather.
Ashish Kumar, an assistant agriculture officer with the Cox’s Bazar office, confirmed that the early harvest is underway across various upazilas due to fears of damage from floods and runoff water. Approximately 51 percent of the paddy has already been harvested. While wind and rain have damaged around 20 acres of crop and flattened more than 30 acres, the primary concern remains the potential for extensive damage if severe waterlogging occurs.
Cox’s Bazar district is home to 237,000 farmers, with 115,000 cultivating boro paddy. Last year, the district produced 235,265 metric tons of rice. Farmers warn that continued heavy rainfall and hilly runoff could jeopardize this year’s production target.
In Ramu’s Chakmakul, farmer Sabir Ahmed expressed his apprehension, noting that while the current flow of water from the hills has not caused significant waterlogging, the fluctuating weather patterns are a constant source of worry. Similarly, farmers in PMkhali voiced their concerns about the risks posed by heavy rains and flash floods to their ripening crops.
This year’s weather challenges follow a severe storm on April 26, which damaged hundreds of homes and uprooted trees in Teknaf and Ramu, also impacting 10-15 acres of boro paddy.
In Teknaf’s Sadar Union, Chairman Ziaur Rahman reported that while the union has experienced a good harvest, heavy rainfall and waterlogging remain potential threats to the remaining 40 percent of the crop.
Adding to the farmers’ woes are increased cultivation costs due to higher expenses for labor, irrigation, fuel, fertilizers, and pesticides, coupled with stagnant market prices for paddy. Many fear that crop damage from adverse weather could lead to severe financial hardship.
However, Bimal Kumar Pramanik, Deputy Director of the District Agriculture Extension Department, suggested that the recent rainfall had a beneficial effect, helping to rehydrate parched soil and saving farmers irrigation costs. He emphasized that continuous heavy downpours would be detrimental and urged farmers to expedite harvesting before any such prolonged rainfall occurs.
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