Forty-one per cent paddy have been harvested until Wednesday in seven haor districts of the country, said the Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday. According to the ministry, 38 per cent paddy harvested in Kishorganj,73 per cent in Netrakona, 29 per cent in Brahmanbnaria, 37 per cent in Sylhet, 36% in Moulvibazar, 25 per cent in Habiganj and 42 per cent in Sunamganj. So far, crops on 9,700 hectares of land have been affected by recent flashfloods and heavy rains which is 1 per cent of the total cultivation (9, 50, 318 hectares of land), according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE). Also read: Flash floods damage crops worth Tk 100 crore in Sunamganj haors Boro paddy was cultivated on 4,52,138 hectares of land in seven haor districts and 4,98,180 hectares of land in non-haor districts, said the DAE. The government had directed the farmers to harvest 80% ripe crops considering the unvavourable weather in the region. The farmers were allocated sufficient numbers of combined harvester and reaper machines in these districts to assist them in cutting the crops in time, according to the Ministry. Also read: Second phase of flash floods hits Sunamganj haor region A total of 1,700 combined harvesters and reaper machines are currently being used to harvest paddy in haor region and of them 1100 are local while 350 were brought from other districts, added the ministry.

Even after hail storm and insect attack, this season Boro crop has provided a good yield for farmers in Sylhet’s Bishwanath upazila this year. Cultivation of Boro paddy has exceeded the target there. Already Boro on 1.6 thousand hectares of land has been harvested and the farmers are happy at the super yield this year. Most farmers are busy harvesting ripe paddy. Also read: Jagannathpur farmers fret over stagnant water as boro yield hit There is no labour crisis this year and the government is providing subsidized rice harvesting machines. According to the Upazila Agriculture Extension Department, the target for borough cultivation in Bishwanath this year was set at 7.2 thousand hectares of land. Already Boro crop have been cultivated over 7.3 thousand hectares of land. Read Farmers in Laxmipur char leading the way in vegetable production The target for paddy production is 35 thousand metric tons this season. Farmer Jaber Ahmed of the upazila said, "I have cultivated Boro paddy at low cost without insecticides. Compared to other seasons, this time the yield has been as expected." “We are also happy getting a good price of paddy in the market," he added. Also read: Severe cold threatens Boro seedbeds in Kurigram Bishwanath Upazila agriculture officer Kanak Chandra Roy said farmers have already harvested 22% of the planted paddy and several sophisticated rice harvesting machines have been distributed among the farmers at subsidized rates. He further said, farmers will undoubtedly benefit from the good yield of Boro paddy this season. Due to low rainfall this year, the haor areas are not still filled with water and several crop fields are still visible. Read The curious case of onion 'lifting’ in Satkhira

Farmers at Digong village of Kolaroa upazila in Satkhira are spending sleepless nights guarding their onion fields as rampant stealing of the much sought-after bulb directly from the field is leaving them despondent and distraught.