Boro paddy has been cultivated for the first time in Sutarkhali union of Dacope upazila of Khulna district. The green view of Boro seedlings is spread over about 30 bighas of land out of 3,175 hectares of one crop arable land. Some local farmers have cultivated high salt-tolerant paddy called Bri-67 there.
Earlier, only Aman paddy used to be cultivated on about 3,175 hectares of land in Sutarkhali union of Dacope upazila. After planting Aman in June, ripe paddy is harvested in October. After that, the land remains uncultivated throughout the year. Farmers became unemployed and lazy.
Finally, for the first time in Boro season, Boro paddy is being cultivated in the uncultivated land. They are doing all kinds of activities themselves from seeds to planting seedlings. Agriculture officials said that Boro production in the upazila is likely to exceed the target this year.
Upazila agriculture officials said local farmers could not cultivate paddy on the land during the Boro season due to long-term salinity. As a result, about 3,175 hectares of land in Sutarkhali Union remained uncultivated. More than three hundred farmers were unemployed. That day has changed now, he added.
Hasan Ali Sana, a local farmer, said that it was not possible to cultivate Boro paddy on this land for several decades due to high salinity. “But this time I have cultivated Boro seedlings on saline land. It looks good to see. Some farmers of the village said that it is possible to cultivate any kind of Aman in the monsoon season. But Boro can’t be cultivated due to the increase in salinity in the land during the dry season. However, after the cyclone Aila, there has been a radical change in agriculture in the area. Besides Boro paddy, vegetables are also being cultivated on a large scale.
Farmer Ruhul Amin Gazi has cultivated Boro paddy on 2.5 bighas of land for the first time. He said there is no crop other than Aman in this coastal region due to high salinity. So even if there is land, the fate of the people did not change much. However, after the cyclone Aila, the fertility of the land has increased with the change of soil. Now Boro is being planted in this area along with Aman.
Dacope Upazila Agriculture Officer Mehedi Hasan Khan said, ” For the first time in the Boro season, the farmers have cultivated Boro seedlings in the salty uncultivated land.” I also liked seeing the paddy fields. Now the area needs freshwater reservoirs. For this, government canals need to be excavated. Then there will be a huge change in agriculture. Farmers can also cultivate different types of crops. Hopefully, beyond the target, Boro will be planted on about 250 hectares of land in the upazila this year, he added.
