Although the month of Ashar is the rainy season and the rainy season, the desired rain was not seen at Ishwardi in Pabna. On the contrary, the temperature is rising. Aman farmers in Ishwardi Upazila and municipal areas are worried as there is no rain even in the monsoon season. As a result, the farmers are being forced to irrigate the seedbeds even during the monsoon season to produce seedlings and prepare land for planting seedlings. On the other hand, the officials of the agriculture department including the farmers are also worried about the non-planting of aman paddy saplings in the land.
Helal Uddin, an official of Ishwardi Meteorological Observatory, said there was no possibility of heavy rainfall in Ishwardi at present. The temperature here is fluctuating from 35 to 36 degrees Celsius every day.
According to the Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Officer's Office, the planting season of Kharif-2 transplanted Aman Ufsi variety of paddy started from the first week of Shravan month. In the current season, the target has been set to cultivate aman in 3,500 hectares of land in Ishwardi upazila and municipal areas. The rice seeds are being produced in 201 hectares of land. Of this, 181 hectares are at the upazila level and 20 hectares in the municipal area. As there is no rain in the monsoon season, fields are being prepared for seed production and planting of seedlings through irrigation. Apart from rain water, the agriculture department here thinks that it will have a big impact on the production of aman paddy.
Farmers are preparing their fields for planting their paddy seedlings using irrigation water. Some farmers have set up seedbeds of aman paddy by providing water on their own initiative. Such a picture was seen while visiting the crop fields of Ishwardi upazila and municipal area on Thursday. Four or five farmers have expressed their concern over the lack of rain during the rainy season. Hasan Chowdhury, a farmer from Sara Gopalpur in Ishwardi municipal area, said farmers were worried as there was no rain. The planting of Aman paddy saplings of this season will start from the first week of Shravan month. He has set a target to produce aman paddy in 9 bighas of land this time. He has not been able to prepare the field for planting seedlings as there is no rain. However, he said, there is still ten days left. If it does not rain, the field will be prepared with irrigation water. Aman cultivation in rain water is good. But if there is not enough rain, many farmers will not be able to plant aman paddy this time.
Anisur Rahman, another farmer from Ista village, has already provided irrigation water instead of waiting for rain water. He said the seeds were made and the fields were prepared using irrigation water. He also said that even if there is no rain, there will be no water problem for his land. This time he will cultivate aman paddy in 5 bighas of land.
Shariful Islam, a farmer from Piarpur area, said that it rained day after day in the month of Ashar last year as well. But this time there is no rain even though the month of Ashar is coming to an end. It is difficult for a poor farmer like me to cultivate aman paddy by spending extra money for irrigation.
Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Officer Krishibid Mita Sarkar said rain is very important for making seedbed and cultivating aman paddy during aman season. But there is no rain. On the one hand there is no rain, on the other hand the temperature rises.
Farmers are worried about these two natural animosities. Even then, most of the farmers are preparing to plant aman saplings by providing water to the land through irrigation. In response to a question, the official said that it is not clear at this time whether the target will be achieved or not.
