Md. Ayub Miaji, Chandnaish: Bri-75 variety paddy farmers in Chandnaish’s Dohazari municipality are in deep despair after facing huge losses. Every year during the Aman season, the farmers Munsi Miah, Ahmad Hossain, and Vetta Miara of Chagachar 1st Ward fulfilled the needs of the whole family by cultivating Aman rice. This time, they borrowed a loan from a local NGO to cultivate high-yielding rice of the Bri-75 variety on a few acres of land.
It is known that out of 21 varieties, Bri-75 varieties of rice are mostly cultivated in paddy fields. Thousands of farmers depend on Aman in the Chandnaish area. Farmers said that they are now suffering from huge losses and are suffering from extreme depression. They reported the matter to the Upazila Agriculture Office but did not take any action; instead, they blamed the farmer’s farming practices.
Farmers said that they have suffered by cultivating the Bri-75 variety of paddy on the advice of agriculture officials and the inducement of seed traders. Farmers spend about 10–15 thousand taka to cultivate 1 kani of paddy. As an incentive for them in paddy cultivation, they are given 2/3 thousand rupees per year for six months. They said that they get 20–25 thousand taka by selling 1 kani of paddy. But he mentioned that no training or cultivation method is given.
About the affected farmers Saikat Bara, Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer of Dohazari Block, said that this problem has arisen due to the farmers not providing timely irrigation and a lack of care. Recently, due to the accumulation of silt and mud in the soil and the heat of the sun, the farmers in most of the areas, including Chandanish, have suffered losses in the paddy fields of the Bri-75 variety. He said that after a few days, he will prepare a list of the affected farmers and take up the program of providing financial support under the incentives.
