SYLHET, Mar 21: Drought has affected standing Boro crop in different areas under Tahirpur upazila in Sunamganj district.
Several thousand farmers are in great distress as at least 3,000 hectares of land have already been affected. There was no rain in the last three months here, local sources informed.
Normally some rain during this time would have been beneficial for the crop which would ripen in weeks, sources added.
High-yielding BRRI-28 variety and the local varieties of the Boro paddy on 3,000 hectares of land are almost considered unfit for harvest.
Besides, yield on some more land would also be less as the growth of paddy plants have been badly affected, they added.
Tahirpur upazila agriculture officer Md Abdus Salam said if it rains this week, some paddy land would be saved.
A total of 18,300 hectares on 23 haors in the upazila have been used for Boro cultivation this year including 1,500 hectares under local varieties, hybrid on 700 hectares and high-yielding varieties on 16100 hectares, officials said.
Normally most of the cropland is dependent on rain as there is no irrigation facility.
Citizens forum 'Haor Banchao, Sunamganj Banchao' General Secretary Bijon Sen Roy said it is not possible to save crops on 3,000 hectares affected by drought.
"We had already demanded for arranging irrigation facilities for the land through pumps. Otherwise there would be no scope to continue farming on the said lands in future", he added.
Moreover, rats had caused damage to standing Boro crops in many areas in neighbouring Biswabhapur upazila. It happened on the drying of croplands due to the drought-like situation.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
