Kurigram recorded its highest rainfall in five years in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning, leaving farmers worried about standing Boro paddy, harvested crops and straw.
The downpour, which began after midnight on Tuesday and continued until Wednesday morning, left many paddy fields under water across the district. In some fields, water rose close to the necks of the paddy plants, while submerged jute and vegetable fields are also at risk of damage.
The hydrology division of the Kurigram Water Development Board said 190mm of rainfall, classified as very heavy, was recorded in the district in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning.
The Rajarhat Agricultural Meteorological Observatory recorded 183mm of rainfall during the same period and forecast heavy to very heavy rain over the next 72 hours.
The return of heavy rain after a short break has deepened farmers’ worries during the Boro harvesting season. Many are struggling to thresh harvested paddy and dry straw, while ripe and semi-ripe paddy remains in the fields. Despite a bumper yield this season, farmers say they have little reason to celebrate.
Monal, a farmer from Thanahat union in Chilmari upazila, said: “We are in trouble with both paddy and straw. We cannot dry the straw from the paddy we have already harvested. Ripe paddy is still lying in the fields. How will we harvest if it keeps raining like this? This season’s investment may be washed away.”
Reshma Begum, a farmer from Charuapara village in Kurigram Sadar, said: “I brought the paddy home after harvesting it yesterday. It was better when it was still in the field. Now both paddy and straw have become a problem. Only Allah knows what fate has in store for us this year.”
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension said the pace of harvesting had been good over the last three days, but around 50% of Boro fields in the district remain unharvested.
Most of the paddy still in the fields is ready for harvesting, but fresh rainfall has made harvesting difficult. Officials said water has accumulated near the paddy heads in many fields, while submerged jute and vegetable fields may suffer damage.
According to the agriculture department, Boro was cultivated on 117,350 hectares of land in Kurigram this season. Although nearly half of the paddy has already been harvested, ripe paddy still remains on around 50% of the cultivated land.
Heavy rain has also raised fears that straw may rot, creating a possible shortage of cattle feed.
Kurigram Department of Agricultural Extension Deputy Director Abdullah Al Mamun said: “Water has accumulated in paddy fields due to heavy rain since night. In many fields, water has reached close to the necks of the plants. Although a large amount of paddy was harvested over the last three days, around half of the crop is yet to be harvested. Farmers will harvest those fields once the water recedes. We are monitoring the situation.”
On possible losses, he said: “Almost all the paddy has ripened. It can be harvested once the water recedes. Some submerged jute and vegetable fields may be damaged. The extent of damage can be assessed after the rain stops. There may be some losses. During field visits in the morning, I saw that semi-dried straw of many farmers had become wet again. If the straw rots, there could be a shortage of cattle feed.”
Rajarhat Agricultural Meteorological Observatory Officer-in-Charge Subal Chandra Sarkar said: “The highest rainfall in the last five years was recorded in this region in the past 24 hours. Heavy rainfall is forecast for the next 72 hours.”
