This year's floods have completely destroyed about three thousand hectares of Aman paddy fields in Rowmari Upazila under Kurigram district. Small and marginal farmers are frustrated as there is no opportunity to plant new Aman paddy as the seedbeds were destroyed in the floods.
According to the Upazila Agriculture Office, Aman paddy was cultivated in a total of 6770 hectares of land in Rowmari Upazila. 4350 hectares of Aman paddy fields were submerged in the flood waters out of which 2950 hectares of Aman paddy fields were completely destroyed.
Baguarchar village farmer Lal Mia said, "I was sowing 62 bighas of Aman paddy in the fields. All the paddy fields have been destroyed by the floods. There are 8 cows in the house. We may buy food from the market and eat it. But how will we feed the cows?"
Samej Uddin, Jamal and Lokman Hossain, farmers of Baitkamari village of the upazila said, "We are small farmers. We eat Aman paddy by ourselves. But as the seedbeds are destroyed, we need financial support from the government.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Kayum Chowdhury said about 3,000 hectares of Boro paddy fields were completely destroyed in the floods. When the flood waters receded, the water was heated and the Aman paddy fields were damaged. Masakalai seeds will be officially given to cultivate seasonal pulse in the damaged paddy fields. We are also advising farmers to cultivate vegetables.
