Due to the effects of cyclone Asani, farmers are fearing huge loss of Boro paddy crop in Santhia of Pabna due to heavy rains. In the rains, thousands of hectares of boro paddy land in several beels and fields of the upazila have been submerged. Knee, waist-level water has sustained in the paddy field of the farmers.
The paddy of some lands has fallen into the water due to light wind and rain. The paddy of other lands is only above the water. It is as if he is trying to live with his head held high. Farmers are embarrassed about ripe and semi-ripe paddy. Besides, there is a new problem of labor crisis. Farmers are suffering from labor crisis to cut paddy in water. The price of a worker is Tk 7-8 hundred rupees. It is more in area and land type. However, one mana paddy is being sold in the market at Tk 700. There, the farmers are struggling with the wages of a worker at Tk 800.
Going to Bishnubaria field and Ghughudaha beel of Surajmin upazila, we can see that many people are cutting paddy with knee and waist-level water in the paddy field. Bablu, Chan Mia, a farmer of Atraishuka village in the upazila, said that it was difficult to cut paddy in water. Bablu, from the same village, said, "I have started harvesting paddy myself as there is more paddy for the workers." Madhu, a farmer from Kalyanpur village of the upazila, said, “I planted boro paddy in Ghughudaha beel. Knee water in most paddy lands in rain water. Paddy of some lands is under water. Santhia Upazila Agriculture Officer Sanjeev Kumar said paddy has been planted in 5,400 hectares of land in the upazila. 10 percent paddy has already been harvested. We have advised the farmers to cut the remaining paddy quickly. Also, the field officials have been instructed to drain the field water.
