RAJSHAHI, Oct 31: Rats are destroying Aman paddy fields in the district.
Farmers are going to local agriculture officials for tackling rats. But agriculture officials can't give them any effective solution. Their dream with Aman paddy is set to go in vain.
According to the advice of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), farmers are using poison bate and trap. But these are not working to chase rats. In groups, rats are damaging Aman fields.
Farmers said, half of their crops will be destroyed by rats if there is no new system to check rats. They will have to count irrecoverable losses.
In addition to poison bate, agriculture officials at district and upazila levels advised setting up banana trees, sticks or bamboo twigs in Aman fields by tying with polythene. They also advised burning tyres in fields at night.
According to sources at the DAE-Rajshahi, 73,387 hectares (ha) of land have been brought under Aman in the district; of these, Dhonchhe (prickly sesban) has been farmed on about 40,000-45,000 ha of land as part of parching system to check pests.
Chief Agriculture Officer of Rajshahi Rice Research Institute Dr Rafiqul Islam said, rats damage crops of over Tk 700 in the country yearly.
He quoted a research-2013 of the International Rice Research Institute and said, rats destroyed food of 50-54 lakh people in Bangladesh. That is why the government, agriculture department and farmers will have to be aware of rats, he added.
At present, the damage will be double.
Godagari and Tanore are low areas under Barind region in Rajshahi. Flood and heavy rain doesn't cause water stagnation in these upazilas.
About 95 per cent lands of these upazilas have been brought under Aman. Rats have already attacked 70-80 per cent fields in these areas.
Farmer Royal Ali of Panchandor Village in Mundumala Poura area in Tanore Upazila has cultivated Aman on five bighas of contract land. About 15 per cent of his fields have been cut down by rats.
Royel said, "I have set up tin-drum in my paddy fields. I make drum-beating for whole night. Despite that my fields cannot be protected from rats."
A farmer of Chadondala Village in Godagari Upazila Abu Bakkar Siddiq Nuhu said, compared to other years, the rat attack is higher this year; this year rats have cut down 25 per cent of green paddy fields.
Farmer Abed Ali of Baneshwar area in Puthia Upazila said, in their fields there are Aman in about 200 bighas of land; by more or less, all the paddy fields have been attacked by rats.
"My two bighas and fields have been attacked. Polythene parching or poison bate is not working."
The rat attacked has appeared mostly in Barind region. Rats are cutting down green and half-ripe fields.
Tanore Upazila Agriculture Officer Saifullah Ahmmed said, the rat menace is higher in Barind region having many jungles and bushes. "Rat is a clever animal. We are advising different ways for checking rats. Within few days, rat-checking activities by the DAE will begin," he added.
He further said, farmers are given advice for cleaning jungles and bushes around their paddy fields and using rat killing bates and traps.
