Water is entering the haor-bil in Netrakona, farmers are harvesting half-ripe paddy

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In Kalmakanda upazila of Netrokona, the water level of various rivers including Ubdakhali, Bhugai, Mahadeo has increased and water has started entering several haors and bils due to heavy rains for three consecutive days. Today, on Tuesday afternoon, the water entered Sonadubi, Goradoba, Anjazura and Mahishasura haor and nearly 1000 hectares of unripe boro paddy fields of Medi and Telanga Beel were submerged in water.

Apart from this, most of them are knee-deep in water. In such a situation, the farmers are now forced to harvest half-ripe paddy due to the fear of floods.

According to the office of the Upazila Agriculture Officer, 21 thousand 65 hectares of land have been cultivated in Kalmakanda this season. Among them, there are 4 thousand 630 hectares of land in Haor area. Only 45 percent of the land has been harvested till noon today in these areas.

However, several farmers claim that only 25 percent of Haor’s paddy has been harvested. The remaining paddy is still in the field. There are 35 combine harvesters in the field to harvest paddy. But because most of them have water to drink, the machine is not able to cut the paddy. Apart from this, their activities are being disrupted due to the fuel oil crisis. Each harvester requires 120 liters of diesel per day.

Azizul Haque, the owner of a harvester in Sadar Upazila, said, “My machine needs 135 liters of oil a day, but 80 liters are given from the pump. It takes half a day of work. Sometimes oil is not available, then the machine has to be stopped.

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Farmer Abdur Rahim of Bisharpasha village planted boro on three acres of land. He said, “The paddy has ripened, but I am not getting workers.” Even the harvester cannot go because of water in the land. It costs about 1 thousand 400 taka to harvest eight hundred acres of rice with laborers. But the price of rice is only 700 rupees.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Saiful Islam said, farmers are advised to harvest paddy quickly. Agricultural officers are working at the field level and coordinating the use of harvesters. The fuel crisis is expected to ease somewhat from tomorrow. But there is a labor shortage.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) SM Mikail Islam said, considering the possibility of early flood, the farmers are being made aware to harvest paddy quickly. The administration is providing necessary assistance so that the farmers can bring home the paddy on time.