Now blast batters Sunamganj farmers

SYLHET, Apr 19: Amid threats of fresh flash flood, Boro growers in Sunamganj are now in fear of losing their crop by a fungal disease known as blast.
The worst affected areas are Derai and Shulla upazilas, according to the farmers.
While visiting the areas, this correspondent found that paddy fields of BR-28, one of the early varieties of Boro were mostly affected by the disease. During the flowering stage, paddy plants in a section of the fields had turned reddish and sheaves dried up like straw.
According to the officials of Department of Agricultural Extension, blast is a deadly fungal disease that can cause hundred percent loss of Boro harvest.
It develops fast, especially on the neck of paddy plants in inclement weather, they said.
Hossain Ahmed, a local farmer of Derai upazila, said, "It's just another blow for us. The spread of the disease has made us worried over losing all our harvest amid threats of fresh floods in haor areas."
Contacted, Deputy Director of DAE Sunamganj, Bimol Chadra Shome, however, claimed the outbreak of the disease is insignificant.
"It happened since the farmers couldn't irrigate their croplands on time," he said.
"So far, crops on around 10,000 hectares of land have been harvested," the official added saying, "We have already requested the farmers to harvest 80 per cent ripe paddy since there is a forecast of another flash flood within some days."

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