Due to thick fog and cold in Tarash of Sirajganj, the farmers are trying to protect the seedlings by covering the seedbed of Boro paddy with polythene sheets. The work of cutting and threshing sown and transplanted Aman paddy in the field has already been completed. Preparations are also underway to plant early varieties of Boro in the crop lands where mustard has not been planted at this time. So the farmers are now busy preparing the land, cultivating the seedbed and sowing the seedlings. But the farmers are spending their days in fear of damage to the seedbed due to thick fog and extreme cold. As a result, they have to find various ways to save the seedlings in the seedbed. Farmers are using polythene sheets to protect seedlings from cold on the advice of Upazila Agriculture Department.
Going to the spot, it was seen that farmer Hossain Ali of Kamarshan village of the upazila had prepared seedbed for planting Boro paddy of Nabi variety and covered it with polythene after sowing. He said the fog usually starts to fall in the afternoon. The seedbed is covered with thick fog at night. This can damage the seedlings. So the seedbed is covered with polythene throughout the day. Again at night the seedbed has to be watered. In the morning, the water is taken out from the seedbed. This has to be done in 8 to 12 days. If the seedlings are a little bigger then farmers do not have to do this anymore.
Shafiqul Islam of Makorshon village of the upazila said that if seeds are sown in the seedbed before the onset of winter, more paddy seedlings will grow. If this method is not followed due to high incidence of winter, seedlings will turn yellow or white. And after a few days it was ruined.
However, Upazila Agriculture Officer Lutfunnahar Luna advised the local farmers to cover the seedbed of Boro paddy with polythene sheets due to dense fog and cold.
