Recent rainfall has revived Aman paddy fields across Rajshahi, easing farmers’ concerns over prolonged dry weather and rising irrigation costs during the crop’s crucial flowering and grain-filling stages.
The Rajshahi Meteorological Office recorded 99.4 millimetres of rain, the highest this season, after several days of dry weather. The rainfall has restored moisture in the fields and reduced farmers’ dependence on irrigation, raising hopes of a better harvest.
“The rain has not caused any damage to my paddy fields. Rather, it has been a great benefit,” said Nazir Uddin, a farmer in Ujirpur, Paba upazila, who has cultivated Aman on five and a half bighas.
“The plants have become fresh and healthy after receiving rainwater,” he said.
Nazir Uddin harvested about 22 maunds of paddy per bigha last year and expects a good yield again this season.
Farmers say irrigation from BMDA deep tube wells costs about Tk 250 per bigha per round. The recent rain could eliminate the need for two to three rounds of irrigation, saving as much as Tk 1,000 per bigha, they said.
Rainwater also helps wash dust from paddy leaves and may reduce heat-related stress and the risk of some pests and diseases, farmers said.
“Rainwater is a blessing for Aman paddy. It reduces expenses on both irrigation and pesticides,” said Astan Ali, a farmer from Kharkhari in Paba. He harvested about 20 maunds per bigha last year and is hoping for a good yield this year.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, Aman paddy has been cultivated on 82,452 hectares in Rajshahi this season, with a production target of 314,336 metric tonnes.
Farmers have been busy preparing seedbeds, transplanting seedlings, applying fertiliser and tending their crops. But the prolonged dry spell had increased their reliance on irrigation and raised production costs.
Agricultural officials said the timing of the rainfall was particularly favourable because Aman plants are now at the flowering and grain-filling stages, when adequate moisture is essential for healthy development and yield.
Mostafa Kamal Hossain, deputy director of the Rajshahi Department of Agricultural Extension, said the district had achieved broad coverage of modern varieties and farming technologies this season.
“If weather conditions remain favourable, we expect the district to achieve its production target,” he said.