Waterlogging in Jashore’s Bhabadah Beel may hit Aman target

Jashore’s Abhaynagar may fail to achieve the target of Aman production this year as crops on 1, 826 hectares of lands have been damaged due to waterlogging in Bhabadah Beel, leaving farmers worried.

Though the upazila usually sees a bumper yield of transplanted Aman paddy every year, this year’s scenario is different.

According to the upazila agriculture office, the target for Aman cultivation in eight unions and one municipality this season was set at 7,550 hectares—1,790 hectares of hybrid varieties, 5,825 hectares of high-yield varieties and 25 hectares of local varieties.

But 7,640 hectares of lands were brought under Aman cultivation, an increase by 90 hectares compared to the target.

The farmers and agriculture officials predict that the upazila will face a deficit of 9, 375 metric tonnes out of targeted 38020 metric tonnes this year.

Last year, the Ropa Aman paddy was cultivated on 7, 550 hectares of land while this number stood at 5, 814 hectares, a decrease by 1, 736 hectares this year.

All the Ropa Aman planted on 835 hectares of lands in Sundoli union were damaged.

Three hundred and ten hectares of lands out of 850 hectares have been damaged in Nawabganj union, 533 hectares out of 1, 154 in Prembag union, 60 out of 1,011 hectares in Chalishia union, 88 out of 605 hectares in Payra union.

The highest 1,392 hectares of Ropa Aman were cultivated in Sreedharpur union.

Besides, Bagutia, Shubharara and Siddhipasha unions have cultivated the paddy on 1,305 460 and 140 hectares of land this year.

Ujjal Das, a farmer from Sundoli’s Arpara village, said he leased one acre of land in Shurirdanga Beel for transplanted Aman. However, the entire crop has been damaged by waterlogging.

Echoing Ujjal, another farmer Rabiul Islam from Chalishia’s Kota village, said he planted Aman on two bighas in Chatra Beel, but all his crops have been destroyed. “We’re living in despair, with waterlogged yards and no yield. We need government compensation to survive,” he said.

Abhaynagar Upazila Agriculture Officer Lovely Khatun blamed the waterlogging for the possible shortfall of the Aman paddy this year.

“The government is working with utmost sincerity to resolve the waterlogging issue permanently. For areas where water may recede within 20–25 days, short-duration, high-yield BINA-14 paddy cultivation is being recommended. We’re also focusing on boosting vegetable production,” she said.

Under the agricultural rehabilitation programme, 475 farmers are receiving high-yield vegetable seeds and a cash grant of Tk 1,000 each.

Efforts are also being made to prioritise boro paddy cultivation for the upcoming season, she added.