Farmers in the northern district of Naogaon are struggling with fresh uncertainty as unseasonal rain, triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, has damaged prepared seedbeds for early winter vegetables and partially ripe Aman paddy.
Potato fields, in particular, have been affected, causing concern among growers hoping to recover losses from last year.
Agriculture officials said stagnant water in the fields has raised fears of widespread damage to newly planted potato seeds, transplanted Aman paddy and early winter vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, chili, eggplant and radish.
Many plants, they said, are lying flattened in waterlogged fields across several upazilas.
Read more: Polyshade tomato farming reviving Narail’s rural economy
According to the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Aman has been cultivated on 193,000 hectares this year, while early winter vegetables cover 1,845 hectares. Potato cultivation is targeted on 21,000 hectares.
A field visit revealed that farmlands prepared for potato cultivation or recently sown are submerged, forcing farmers to focus on draining the water to save their crops. Farmers also fear delays in planting on fallow lands that remain waterlogged and excess moisture has already caused root rot in some vegetables.
Zainal, a farmer from Kalikapur Dangapara in Atrai upazila, expressed his worries, saying, “Last year I suffered a big loss from potato farming; hence I planted early this year in hopes of a better price. But now rainwater has submerged the field and I fear the seeds may not sprout properly. I don’t know what to do.”
Sharing a similar experience, Ashraf Hossain from Varsho village in Manda upazila said, “Early potato farming is always risky, but I wanted to try since others were doing it. I planted on one bigha of land, but the sudden rain has filled the field with water.”
Read more: Hidden hands in the fields: Dealers blamed for artificial fertiliser shortage in north
Ratan Mollah of Barshail in Sadar upazila said, “I just finished planting potato seeds when the rain began. It’s still drizzling, and the soil remains soaked. Potato seeds rot easily if they stay wet. I’m worried most of my field will be damaged.”
Meanwhile, Susheel Mistri of Hapania reported that his Aman paddy, which was ripening, had been flattened by rain and gusty winds. Vegetable grower Indri Mia from Kirtipur said, “The rain over the past few days has caused rot at the base of my cauliflower and other vegetable plants.”
Downplaying the extent of the damage, DAE Deputy Director Homayra Mondal said, “Although it rained, it wasn’t a heavy downpour. Potato planting has just started and the newly planted seeds may face minor setbacks, but fields planted eight to ten days ago will likely remain safe. The rainfall is even beneficial for Aman. If the water drains quickly, there won’t be any major problem.”
Read more: Rain pushes green chilli price to Tk 300 per kg, almost all vegetable prices upward
As farmers race against time to salvage their crops, the unseasonal rainfall has once again highlighted the vulnerability of early winter cultivation to unpredictable weather.