Paddy cultivation has started for the first time in 15 years on 900 bigha land of Gatirgheri Beel on the banks of Shakbaria in Koyra upazila of Khulna.
When cyclone Aila lashed the coastal belt in 2009, the tidal surge flooded the village, submerging the waterbody in salt water.
Nothing could be cultivated in this area because of the high salinity. The village people had been farming saltwater shrimp since the devastating cyclone.
However, the situation changed due to the construction of a dyke.
Dhaka TribunePeople started cultivating paddy as well as vegetables and fruits, turning the barren soil into a land of greenery.
The yield of salt-tolerant Boro rice has increased manifold. Farmers of Koyra upazila are spending busy time planting Boro seedlings in the middle of winter, even before the end of the Aman harvest.
A record Boro yield is expected this season if there is no calamity.
Renuka Mandal, a farmer in the Gatirgheri area, said: “Due to salinity, we could not cultivate anything here. We used to live by farming saltwater shrimp and catching crabs in the forest. The saltwater stopped entering the area because of the dyke. Now we can cultivate paddy and vegetables.”
Sunita Sarkar, another farmer, said she installed a pump for Boro cultivation. Submersibles pumps were placed as well. As a result, they are getting fresh water which is needed in Boro cultivation.
Dhaka TribuneShahabaz Ali said he cultivated 10 bighas of paddy field and the cultivation is almost complete. “Although the cultivation of Boro is expensive, the market price is good and the sale of straw bales is profitable,” he said.
Sattar Maral is also cultivating Boro paddy. “Farmers are enthusiastic this year to cultivate Boro rice and the enthusiasm is increasing in every union of the upazila,” he said.
According to sources at the local Department of Agricultural Extension office, Boro cultivation is progressing rapidly in 36 thousand bighas of land this season, which is more than 2 times compared to last year.
The department expects the production of about 27,000 tons of paddy if no natural calamities occur.
Upazila Agriculture Officer (Additional) Asim Kumar Das said the government distributed seeds and fertilizers among 3,000 farmers in Koyra for the current season.
Out of this, 1,000 farmers were given 20kg of fertilizer and 5kg of Ufshi variety of paddy seeds and 2,000 farmers got 2kg of hybrid SL8H variety of paddy seeds.
“Bri-28, 67, 74, 84 and Bina 10, 14, 7 and all rice are salt tolerant,” he added.
