RANGPUR, Nov 23: Paddy collection from ratholes is going on in full swing across the district during the current Aman harvesting period. A large number of extreme poor people are engaged in recovering the grains which have been stored by rats in their holes and thus they are providing support to their impoverished families.
A good number of ultra-poor people said every year they move around different areas in search of ratholes during harvesting time for collecting paddy. There is a risk of snake or rat bite. But they have to do it despite having such risk owing to abject poverty. They preserve the collected grains for providing support to their families during lean period, they said. Rats dig holes 5 to 8 feet deep in fields to store foodgrains. Poor people like them move around in different fields to look for the holes, they further said.
Goljar Ali (55), of Mogolkoat village under Mithapukur Upazila in Rangpur district told The Financial Express that he has been collecting paddy from ratholes for the last 18 years. He manages to collect 12 to 22 kg foodgrain from a rat hole every day. He can dig 2 to 3 holes per day. Abul Hossain of Baniapara village at Taraganj Upazila in Rangpur district told FE that he collects at least 25 to 30 maunds of grains from ratholes during harvesting period which proved to be a great support for his poverty stricken family, he added.
While visiting different upazilas of the district it was found that a number of children are also engaged in collecting paddy from ratholes. Talking to FE some children said they enjoy collecting grains from ratholes which the rodents deposit in the holes. "We can collect 8 to 12 kg paddy per day during harvesting period and in this way we are giving support to our family", they also said.
According to Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) official sources rats cause huge damage to crops every year during harvesting time by storing huge quantity of foodgrains in their holes and thus they are affecting food production seriously. The ultra poor people recover the grains stored in ratholes and deposit the grains for their bad days particularly for lean period, sources added.
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