Farmers happy as Boro paddy harvest to end this week

SYLHET, May 16: Harvest of Boro paddy would be completed in 4 to 5 days although the farmers had suffered due to shortage of labourers and rough weather with rains in the past few weeks in Sylhet division. But, getting a better crop this time the common farmers are seemed to be happy. Already 417,816 hectares of land are harvested out of 481,521 hectares.

Additional Director of the DAE's Sylhet divisional office Md. Altabur Rahman told this correspondent on Wednesday on average over 87 per cent crop is already harvested. However, in Sylhet district it is highest 96 per cent while in Moulvibazar it is 90 per cent, 70 per cent in Habiganj and in Sunamganj district it is 91 per cent, sources said quoting a DAE report prepared Tuesday.

After the last year's bitter experience of disastrous loss due to excess rains and early floods at the first week of April the farmers had to harvest the crop albeit earlier this time. However, in many areas this year they were compelled to start farming late for reasons, he added, so the harvest would take another week maximum.

For averting possible excess rains and early floods, the farmers were advised for cultivating short duration varieties like BRRI-28 and BRRI-29 etc on the vast haor region, the official said, they also showed much interest in it. Besides, the government supplied seeds of these varieties through BADC to farmers.

Although there had been sporadic pest attack on areas, a good harvest at the end of the season is already there, officials and farmers said. A total of 481,500 hectares of land were brought under Boro cultivation in 4 districts of Sylhet this year.

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