CONTINUOUS rainfall over the past several days has severely disrupted Boro paddy harvesting across Jhenaidah, leaving vast areas of ripe crops submerged and creating growing concern among farmers over financial losses and a possible cattle fodder crisis.
Farmers across the district are rushing to cut paddy stalks before further damage occurs, yet many are struggling to save harvested crops from persistent rainwater.
Agricultural experts warn that if the weather condition continues, both rice production and livestock farming could face serious setbacks in the coming months.
Field visits to several upazilas revealed extensive waterlogging in low-lying agricultural lands, where mature boro paddy remains standing in knee-deep water.
Areas including Hamudar Beel, Rajaramer Beel, Bhabanipur-Ramnagar, Maharajpur, Baidanga and Rangiarpota under Sadar upazila have been badly affected. Similar conditions were reported from Raigram, Jamal, Kola, Nityanandapur and Agamundiya in Kaliganj upazila, along with parts of Maheshpur and Harinakundu upazilas.
‘I harvested my paddy early in the day when the sky was clear, but heavy rain later ruined everything,’ said Anowar Hossain, a farmer from Kumrabaria village in Sadar upazila. ‘The next morning, I saw sprouts coming out from the wet paddy. To save whatever I could, I had to cut the stalks immediately, which increased my costs.’
Apart from crop losses, concerns are rapidly growing over the availability of paddy straw, an essential source of cattle feed in rural areas. Because farmers are prioritising the recovery of grain amid continuous rainfall, large quantities of straw are being left wet and unusable in the fields.
Cattle farmer Khanjahan Ali Choton warned that the situation could create a serious fodder shortage in the months ahead.
‘Small-scale cattle farming has become common in rural households,’ he said. ‘But this year, farmers cannot preserve paddy straw properly because of the rain. Most of the straw is rotting in the fields. If the situation continues, livestock farmers may face major difficulties before the next harvesting season.’
Deputy director of Department of Agricultural Extension in Jhenaidah, agriculturist Md Kamruzzaman, said intermittent rainfall since the beginning of the harvesting season has complicated field operations across the district.
‘Combined harvesters are currently working in different areas to accelerate harvesting,’ he said. ‘Agriculture officials are maintaining regular communication with farmers and continuously providing weather updates and awareness messages.’
Local farmers urged the government to provide emergency assistance, fair market prices and support measures to help them recover losses caused by the unexpected weather conditions.
Agriculture experts noted that climate-related irregularities are increasingly affecting seasonal farming patterns in Bangladesh, making timely harvesting and crop preservation more difficult for farmers in vulnerable regions.
