A large portion of the fertile topsoil from arable land in Kaharol Upazila of Dinajpur is being taken to brick kilns, decreasing the production capacity of the land.
The owners are selling their fertile soil of their lands due to financial crisis. The Upazila Department of Agricultural Extension estimated that the production capacity of these lands is being reduced to almost 40 percent.
However, the experts fear that the actual reduction in the land’s production capacity is much greater. As a result, both the agricultural sector and the environment of this area are facing severe crisis.
Farmer Punil Chadra Roy of the upazila said although there are organic matters in the topsoil of the land, the normal production capacity of these lands are decreasing as the owners are selling the portion containing the organic matters. As a result, the production of Aman, Boro and Rabi crops are decreasing in the upazila as well.
It was learnt that some poor famers of the villages are selling the fertile topsoil in the brick kilns because of their financial condition. Then again, some are consciously selling the soil to the brick kilns.
The agricultural researchers of the upazila said the fertile portion of the agricultural land is very important. If they keep removing the topsoil of the land this way, the agricultural production will be greatly hampered in the future and the production will be reduced as well.
Kaharole Upazila Agriculture Officer Mollika Rani Sehanabish said the 10 inches to 20 inches of topsoil of the cropland is fertile. This portion contains the organic matters. While the cropland supposed to have five percent of organic fertilizer, in reality, it contains only one percent.
She also said that the farmers are selling the fertile soil of their land for money without understanding the potential harm involved.
And we always discourage about selling the soil from the agricultural land.
