Farmers worry about Aman cultivation

Staff Reporter :
Farmers are worried about the cultivation of Aman rice due to its heavy dependency on rainfall as there is no expected rainfall during the month of July, the highest rainfall period of the year.

Instead the country is experiencing a heat wave, leading to water scarcity in most of the arable lands across the country.

In such circumstances, many farmers are resorting to alternative measures to irrigation to plant Aman seedlings, Agricultural Department sources said.

According to the relevant sources, the target for Aman rice cultivation on 5,933,500 hectares of land was set for the current year. However, until now, Aman has been cultivated on only 760,700 hectares, which is only 12.82 per cent of the target.

Among these, 585,300 hectares have been cultivated with transplanting Aman seedlings, and 175,300 hectares have been cultivated with direct seeding of Aman rice.

Due to the lack of rainfall, many farmers have not yet planted Aman crops, and their seedbeds are being destroyed due to the water shortage.

Moreover, if the age of the seeds increases, the yield decreases. Additionally, delayed cultivation can lead to a higher incidence of diseases.

In this situation, farmers will need more fertilizers and pesticides than usual for Aman cultivation.

Those who have already planted seedlings within the specified time frame will have to rely on irrigation. Furthermore, the intense heat has slowed down the work of laborers.

Collectively, the expenses for Aman rice cultivation, including irrigation and labour costs, have increased for farmers.

Sources said when Aman is cultivated late, there is a concern for a higher incidence of crop diseases, leading to increased use of pesticides.

Among these expenses, the irrigation cost significantly adds to the overall production cost for farmers, especially when Aman cultivation becomes heavily reliant on rainfall.

Normally, during the four months from June to September, about 71 per cent of the total annual rainfall occurs.

Despite the expectation of the highest rainfall in July, until now, there has been approximately 59 per cent less rainfall compared to the usual amount for this time of the month.

Even in June, the shortfall was about 17 per cent of the average rainfall. Last year, in July, the deficit was about 58 per cent compared to the usual rainfall.

However, despite July being the month with the highest expected rainfall, this year’s July has seen significantly less rainfall compared to the usual amount.

Last year, the deficit was also notable, but there was an increase in rainfall during October and November.

However, if there is a prolonged period of low rainfall, there is a concern for crop damage.

Moreover, according to agricultural experts, late cultivation of Aman rice can lead to reduced yields due to varietal reasons.

Aman rice constitutes more than 40 per cent of the total rice production. If Aman production decreases, it could create problems. India has stopped rice exports, and there are concerns globally regarding food supply due to stalled crop agreements.

“If wheat imports decrease, there will be increased pressure on rice. In such a situation, any damage to rice production could lead to a crisis.

To encourage and support farmers, they need motivation and comprehensive assistance. It is crucial to adopt policies beforehand to ensure that production remains stable,” Dr. Md. Siddiqur Rahman, a senior scientist at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, told the media.

He suggested that without sufficient rainfall, rice cultivation could be delayed, resulting in a slight decrease in yield.

However, if farmers use irrigation for rice cultivation, the risk of reduced yield can be minimized. Nevertheless, this will increase the production cost for farmers.

Additionally, if some farmers cultivate rice early and others do it later, there is a higher risk of pest infestation, leading to increased costs for irrigation and pesticides, he said.