Mojibur Rahman, a farmer from Kurigram’s Ulipur Dhamsreni union, said half of the seeds could not germinate this season amid the biting cold.
“A seedling crisis seems very likely,” he said, noting that the cold weather has affected most of the seedbeds in the Brahmaputra and Teesta basins.
Also read: Mild cold wave to continue
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) targets cultivating 112,015 hectares in the current Boro season.
Farmers have prepared seedbeds in 6,000 hectares. Of them, 1,045 hectares are hybrid, 3,866 hectares Upshi and 190 hectares local seedbeds.
Also read: Mild to moderate cold wave continues to sweep over country
Kurigram DAE official Manjurul Haque said they had given necessary advice to the farmers to save the Boro seedbeds.
“There’s no chance of seedling crisis this season,” he said.
Also read: Cold weather damages Boro seedlings in Rangpur
Meanwhile, the mercury continues to plummet in Kurigram making life difficult for the people. The Met Office said the day’s lowest temperature in the district was recorded at 9.2 degrees Celsius.
A cold wave sweeping over the district for the last few days may continue for a few more days.
Also read: Lowest 6.6 degrees Celsius temperatures recorded in Kurigram’s Rajarhat