Paddy farmers in the Chalan Beel region of Rajshahi, Pabna, Sirajganj and Natore are concerned about whether they can achieve their expected yields this year as early floods have badly damaged their crops in the vast wetland.

Several hundred bighas of Boro fields in Pabna’s Bera and Santhia upazilas have been submerged due to torrential rains and farmers are fearing loss while they are harvesting half-ripe crops.

Agriculture engineers of Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute (BSRI) have come up with a new technology of cultivating paddy as co-crop with sugarcane.

Japanese agricultural machinery manufacturer Yanmar has expressed interest to set up a factory in Bangladesh to manufacture combine harvesters for reaping paddy.

Yusuf Ali, a mango grower in Chapainawabganj, did not benefit much despite having an ample yield last year as the price of the popular fruit was unusually low due to the lockdown-induced disruption.

The country will have to import fertiliser at higher prices from the international market in the wake of the global price hike due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Prices of paddy, particularly the finer varieties, are on the rise in the producing regions in Bangladesh amid worries of crop damages and lower yield inflicted by the recent flash floods in the haor districts and cyclone Ashani-induced rainfalls.

Rice yield is likely to dwindle to some extent in eight districts of Rajshahi division during this Boro season due to bad weather during the harvest period, officials and farmers said.

H Ataur Rahman Akib started fishing when he was four and he was largely focused on his hobby and making baits until 2018.

Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque today directed the agriculture officials to prepare workplans to do more research to increase oilseed production in order to reduce its import dependence.

Onion seed growers in Faridpur are worried about being able to attain their expected production levels this year due to unfavourable weather conditions, swarming caterpillar infestations and low bee pollination.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has advised boro farmers of Patuakali to harvest their paddy before the due time as there is a forecast of cyclone “Asani” under the influence of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.

Many farmers in Biral upazila have been facing enormous challenges in producing quality crops in their farmlands due to emission of toxic gas from two surrounding brick kilns.

“Most paddy fields in our village are under water. We are not only facing food shortage but also lacking fodder for our cattle. Had the flood happened after two weeks, we could have harvested at least enough to feed ourselves,”

Farmers have harvested 90 percent of Boro paddy in haor areas, AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, deputy minister for water resources, said today.

The agricultural ministry defended the participation of officials’, in phases, in a six-month-long exhibition in the Netherlands, without mentioning the exact number of delegates.

Hundreds of maize farmers based in char areas of the Brahmaputra, Teesta and Jamuna rivers in Gaibandha are overjoyed to get bumper yields and good prices this year.

At least 100 agriculture ministry officials will participate in phases in a six-month international horticulture exhibition in the Netherlands, even though the government had asked to abandon all routine tours except those involving emergencies.

Mehedi Hasan, a university student who lives in Kashempur village of Bagerhat sadar upazila, lost his chicken farm over a year ago as coronavirus-induced losses made it impossible for him to continue operations.

Even after the suicide of two farmers recently, water distribution for agricultural lands of marginal people in Barind areas has not improved, said rights activists yesterday.