Zakir Azad, Cumilla

Farmers are busy harvesting boro paddy in Cumilla In the midst of intense heat wave in the middle of Baisakh, the golden glow of boro rice has spread in different upazilas and unions of Cumilla this year.

As far as the eye can see, green paddy fields are colored with gold. Ignoring the severe fire, the farmers are busy bringing home the golden rice. Farmers are also not sitting there. From threshing and drying of paddy to baling, they are extending their hands to help.

Various areas of Cumilla have been visited, ignoring the intense heat that started in the morning, the farmers are spending their time till the evening harvesting and spreading paddy in Boro land. Some are seen cutting paddy with their family members without getting laborers to cut paddy.

Abdul Matin, a farmer of Rasulpur village of Debidwar upazila, said that for some time now, we have been having trouble cutting paddy in the field and spreading paddy from the field during the hot summer. Had the heat been a little less and the weather favorable, our sufferings would have been lessened and workers were also available properly.

Apart from this, if the fair price of paddy is not available, we have to count the loss. So we are always in despair by cultivating paddy. Again, sometimes I hope, I don't know when the price of rice will increase. He also said that this year, we are planting new varieties of hybrid varieties of rice in 147th place, the weather has been good.

The harvesting of rice will start in two days. Shereali, a farmer of Baradushia village of Brahmanpara upazila Chandla union, said that the scorching sun is in the midst of intense heat wave and the farmers have to work day and night to plant Boro paddy.

Besides, the cost of boro cultivation is also high. Boro paddy should be irrigated every three to four days after planting. If we harvest paddy now and still do not get a fair price, we will face losses. So our request to the government is to give us subsidy in boro plantation. Abul Kasem, a farmer of Rajapur village of Burichong upazila, said that no workers are available on the land during this hot season. If laborers are not available, there will be some loss for cutting paddy and spreading paddy.

In this regard, Deputy Director (DD) of Cumilla Agriculture Extension Department, Ayub Mahmud said that a target of 1 lakh 62 thousand 60 hectares of boro rice has been set in Cumilla this year. Paddy harvesting has started in many places of different upazilas of Cumilla . Farmers are suffering from severe heatstroke in the hot sun. Apart from that the weather has been favorable so far.

This year, among the modern varieties, B paddy 84, 81, 88, 89, 92, and Bangabandhu paddy 100 and 102 have been planted. Hopefully more will be achieved in Comilla this year than the target.

Besides, early hybrid varieties of paddy have been harvested and spread in our 3/4 parshen land. Hopefully our desired Boro Golden Paddy farmers will be able to take home in few days.