In spite of the devastating floods in the country, including in Jamalpur this year, the district is seeing a surprise bumper production of transplanted Aman (T-Aman) paddy as compared to last year. However, regardless of their bumper yield, Ropa Aman farmers are worried whether they will get a fair price at the market.
On a visit to several upazilas of Jamalpur district, including some of the villages in Melandah upazila, Islampur upazila and Sadar upazila, this correspondent saw good yields of various transplanted Aman varieties cultivated earlier this year.
Farmer Ala Uddin, of Kulia village in Melandah upazila, said: “Last year, I had a good yield cultivating a hybrid variety of Aman called ‘Dhani Gold’ on one bigha of land. And so this year I decided to cultivate the same variety on four bighas. Now I expect to harvest 30-35 maunds from each bigha. But I am very worried about the market price of paddy as it is not good this year.”
Abdul Barek, another Aman farmer from the same village, said: “The yield of hybrid Aman varieties has been better this year compared to past years. The farmers here on average have spent about Tk15,000 per bigha. But this year we are in trouble because the price of paddy is low. I don't think we can make a profit by selling paddy for Tk500-600 per maund.”
Makshed Ali, of Char Jatharthpur village, said: “This year, I cultivated ‘Dhani Gold’ on three bighas. I expect to harvest 35-40 maunds from each bigha. But I am worried about whether the price of paddy will be good this year.”
Md Aminul Islam, deputy director, Department of Agricultural Extension at Jamalpur’s Khamarbari, said: “The department had set this year’s target for Aman cultivation in Jamalpur district at 160,300 hectares. We are pleasantly surprised that farmers here have exceeded that target by cultivating three varieties of transplanted Aman on 170,860 hectares.
“Having said that, hybrid paddy farmers will have the advantage of earning more owing to higher demand in the market. However, farmers who are harvesting Ufsi and local varieties of Aman will not be able to earn as much due to low market prices.”
