Sylhet haors see bumper boro crop, harvest nears completion

Favourable weather conditions have led to a bumper harvest of Boro paddy in Sylhet's haor regions this year, exceeding the season's target. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) reports that 99.5% of paddy harvesting in the haors is complete as of Monday.

However, recent rainfall in Sylhet and the Meteorological Department's forecast of potential floods due to continuous rain and landslides have raised concerns about drying the harvested paddy.

Boro paddy, the primary crop grown in the haors, is typically cultivated just once annually. Untimely floods often devastate these crops, causing significant losses for farmers. Fortunately, this year, farmers were able to harvest without major natural disasters so far.

Sunamganj district, known as the "haor capital" due to its 137 large and small haors, is a major producer of Boro paddy nationwide. This year, the district cultivated Boro paddy on 2,23,407 hectares with a production target of 13,70,200 tonnes.

According to Sylhet divisional DAE Additional Director Md Motiur Rahman, paddy harvesting in Sunamganj's haors is complete, while overall harvesting in the division, including both haors and highlands, stands at 85%. He added that the remaining unharvested paddy, located in higher areas, is unlikely to be significantly affected by a day or two of rain.

The target for rice production from Boro paddy in Sylhet division this year is 20,22,981 tonnes. So far, 17,46,993 tonnes have been collected, and with complete harvesting, production could exceed 20,32,000 tonnes.

Farmers hope for sunshine to dry boro paddy

A recent visit to a haor in Sylhet's Gowainghat upazila found farmers busy harvesting paddy. Some were cutting and gathering crops, while others carried harvested paddy home. Nearby open fields were used for sorting and drying the paddy.

Abdus Shahid, a local farmer, expressed satisfaction with the yield and successful harvest but worried about drying the paddy due to recent rainfall. Proper sun drying is crucial to prevent paddy spoilage.

Selim Ahmed, another farmer from Sunamganj, highlighted the benefits of the flood-free season, allowing them to store all the paddy. However, he underscored the need for sunshine to dry the paddy and collect fodder for livestock before the monsoon arrives.

Despite exceeding the cultivation target of 85,850 hectares in Sylhet district (reaching 87,450 hectares), Sylhet DAE Deputy Director Mohammad Khairuddin Mollah acknowledged some minor hail damage to the paddy. He nonetheless noted the successful harvest without major natural disasters.

Khairuddin also reported a target of 3,40,000 tonnes for Boro paddy production in Sylhet this year, expressing hope for exceeding that goal.