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Wheat cultivation declines in Chowgacha for Covid-19


Published : 10 Feb 2021 08:51 PM

Wheat cultivation decreased in Chowgacha of Jashore due to virus panic .Wheat has been cultivated in 5 hectares less land in Chaugacha Upazila of Jashore this year as compared to last year. 

Rice prices are good and wheat cultivation has been reported to be low due to wheat virus.

However, the Upazila Agriculture Office is working to increase wheat cultivation. 

According to the Upazila Agriculture Office, various varieties of wheat have been cultivated in 185 hectares of land in the upazila this season. Last year it was cultivated in 190 hectares of land. In the last few years, farmers have suffered a lot due to the wheat virus.

Due to which many farmers of the upazila have cultivated various crops including paddy in that land instead of cultivating wheat. It has been reported that wheat has been cultivated in isolated areas in 11 unions and municipal areas including 20 hectares in Hakimpur Union, 26 hectares in Swarupdah Union and 25 hectares in Sukhpukuria Union.

Farmer Ziaur Rahman, of Badekhanpur village in Narayanpur union of the upazila, has plotted an exhibition of wheat cultivation on 8 bighas of land. Already most of the wheat has started to come out.Peoples  think that this exhibition of farmer Ziaur Rahman will make the farmers of the plot area interested to wheat cultivation.

According to the source, the soil of all the areas except some low lying areas of Chaugachha has always been famous for wheat cultivation. There was a time when the farmers of Ajnapada used to cultivate wheat extensively. 

But in the last few years, farmers have suffered a lot due to the sudden appearance of the virus in wheat. Due to which the farmers started growing other crops including paddy in that land instead of wheat. Different varieties of wheat are cultivated depending on the soil quality of the upazila.

Wheat cultivation of Bari-28, Bari-30 and Bari-33 varieties has been noticed more this year. These varieties are preferred by the farmers due to their high yield and low incidence of diseases. 

AH Khalil, a farmer from Naodapara in Kharincha, said that there was a time when all the farmers used to cultivate wheat competitively when winter came. 

There was a competition as to who would cultivate more wheat. But due to the desired price of wheat and the appearance of virus in wheat for several years, people have turned away from wheat cultivation.

 He has cultivated wheat in 1 bigha of land this season. So far there has been no problem. If the weather is good, he thinks he will benefit from rice to wheat. 

Raichuddin, upazila agriculture officer, said there was a kind of fear among farmers due to the wheat virus last year. The Agriculture Office went to every area of the upazila to motivate the farmers to cultivate wheat. Farmers have again become quite focused on wheat cultivation. Hopefully from now on wheat cultivation will gradually increase every year.