Seedling crisis hampers Irri-Boro cultivation in Rajshahi region
IRRI-Boro cultivation is being hampered in the ongoing season in Rajshahi region due to acute shortage of seedlings and their high prices.
Local farmers said, this season many seedbeds and seedlings in the region were damaged due to severe cold and dense fog creating acute crisis of seedlings.
Taking advantage of the situation, unscrupulous traders are doing brisk business by selling seedlings at high prices in local markets, they alleged.
Poor and marginal farmers are facing problems in purchasing seedlings from local markets to cultivate IRRI- Boro paddy.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Rajshahi, a scheme has been taken up to bring 70,000 hectares of land under IRRI-Borro cultivation this season.
The target of paddy production in the region may not be achieved this year due to shortage of seedlings,DAE sources said.
While visiting different areas of the district, this correspondent found local farmers in trouble due to non-availability of adequate seedlings for cultivation.
Farmer Joinal Abedin of Ratugram village in Durgapur upazila said, “I have cultivated eight bighas of land this season against 12 bighas of land in last season due to crisis of seedlings and their high prices”.
Another farmer Abdur Rahim of Laxmipur village said he has cultivated 10 bighas of land against 15 bighas of previous year. He said, this season paddy seedlings for cultivation on one bigha of land cost Tk 2,000 against Tk 500 in last season. He said he could not cultivate his remaining five bighas of land due to abnormal high prices of seedlings.
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