Cutting and threshing of early Boro paddy variants has started in Rangpur. Farmers are worried about getting a fair price for paddy as they are relieved at the same time to be able to harvest paddy at this time of rising commodity prices. Even then, as the desired Boro paddy harvesting and threshing has started, the mood of the festival is spreading in the homes of the farmers.
Various agricultural lands of Gangapur, Taraganj and Kaunia upazilas including Rangpur city's West Nilkantha, Chabbish Hazari, Khatkhatia, Burirhat can be seen filled with farmers cutting and threshing paddy. Due to favorable weather conditions, many people are cutting paddy and threshing it on the same day. The farmer's yard is full of paddy. Many people are drying paddy because of the sun. Some people are busy drying raw paddy straw for cow feed including boiling and drying rice. However, government procurement of paddy has not started yet. Therefore, Boro farmers are still worried about the fair price of paddy in the market. They say that the cost of cutting and threshing including paddy cultivation is paid by selling the paddy. But this time no one has started buying this advance variety of paddy at the field level yet. As a result, they have got a kind of problem while cutting paddy.
Abdul Halim of West Nilakantha was picking paddy from the field. Even with the tired body in the hot sun on his head, he had the impression of joy of cutting paddy in his eyes and face. He said, this time the yield of paddy has been good. Insect attacks were also low. Every time it rains, the paddy gets submerged in water. This time, he has been able to take it home. Azizar Rahman, a paddy farmer in 24 Hazari area, said that he has harvested three bighas of paddy and taken it home after threshing. Noting that the yield has been very good even though it has not been measured yet, he said that if the price is not available in the market, the loss will have to be counted. Vutru Mia, a farmer from Navanidas area of Gangachara, said, It is at this time that we have been able to harvest early varieties of paddy and a lot of overhaul has been removed.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, boro paddy has been cultivated in a total area of 1lakh 31 thousand 750 hectares in Rangpur district. Of this, advance varieties of paddy have been cultivated in 33,000 hectares of land. Which is about 25 percent of the total planted paddy. BRRI-28, 88, 81, 58, BINA-10, Hybrid and other early varieties of paddy have started cutting and threshing in full swing. The average yield of paddy is 3.7 tonnes per hectare. Among these, other varieties of rice including BRRI-29 have also started ripening. Boro paddy threshing will start in full swing within next 15 days of this variety.
Obaidur Rahman Mandal, Deputy Director, Department of Agricultural Extension, Rangpur, said 25 per cent of the total Boro cultivation in the district has been planted with early varieties of paddy. At the present time the cutting and threshing is going on. Mentioning that the yield has been 3.7 tons per hectare of land, he said that the yield per hectare will increase further if other conventional paddy is harvested.