Jhum farmers in Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) are now busy harvesting paddy from the hills.
The harvesting of paddy grown on the hill slopes has started, bringing smiles to the faces of Jhum farmers, locally known as Jumias. The green hills are now coloured golden. As far as the eye can see, in the gaps between the huge green hills, the golden-coloured ripe paddy of the green hills can be seen from a distance.
Due to the late rains this year, the time gap in sowing jhum paddy was increased. Some farmers have now started harvesting paddy while some jhum paddy is still green and some farmers have come to the jhum field to guard the paddy that has started ripening. Some farmers are now collecting sweet pumpkins, maize, marfa and chinal before harvesting of paddy while some others are waiting for the right time to harvest Jhum paddy.
In the three hill districts, especially in the remote areas, the jhum farmers are now passing very busy time.
While visiting Bolipara Union under Thanchi Upazila in Bandarban district on Monday, this correspondent found that jhum farmer Milan Tripura, 40, a resident of Kamala Bagan Para, was harvesting ripe paddy with a team of 15 men and women who worked in exchange for labour with his family.
While cutting paddy, he said this year the Jhum paddy was not so good, because it did not rain when the rain was needed, and it rained heavily when sunshine was needed. Earlier, if there was sunshine and rain on time, the jhum paddy would be good, now there is no sunshine and rain on time, nature has also been changed. This year, he expects to get 200 ari paddy (one ari is equal to 10 kgs) from jhum cultivation. If the Jhum paddy was good, he would get 300 ari paddy. He said due to the rain, the ripened paddy of many jhum farmers has been destroyed, so there will be a food crisis next year.
Pushparani Tripura, 18, said they have also cultivated paddy but their jhum paddy is not yet ready to harvest so they are helping their neighbour harvest paddy in return for labour. After a few days, she will get the same help from them to cut jhum paddy.
Farmers of Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) prepare their fields and sow seeds in April and harvest the crop from September to November every year. After transferring the rice from the Jumghar to the main house, the Nabanna Festival of Jhum Paddy takes place from house to house from December to February.
According to the information of Bandarban Department of Agricultural Extension, a total of 8,378 hectares of land were brought under jhum cultivation in the year 2021 while 13,467.22 metric tons of rice were produced. In 2022, 8,292 hectares of land were brought under cultivation while 11,418.12 metric tons of rice were produced. In 2023, 8,540 hectares of land were brought under jhum cultivation and 10,489.71 metric tons of rice were produced. In the current year, the target of jhum cultivation is 7,460 hectares of land and the production target is 10,710 metric tons of rice.
Additional Deputy Director of Department of Agricultural Extension agriculturist Md Hasan Ali said around 8,300 hectares of land have been brought under jhum cultivation in Bandarban this year. Besides paddy, various vegetables are grown there as side crops. Jhum yield is expected to be good this year. As the rainfall is different in all places, due to which the production varies, the yield of each place is different. Jhum paddy harvesting has already started in Thanchi upazila of Bandarban hill district and jhum paddy harvesting will also start in other upazilas.
He said that to increase the production of jhum, the agriculture department provides various suggestions and encouragement for producing hybrid paddy with local varieties.
