Farmers struggle with immature rice crops in flood-hit Lakshmipur, Noakhali

Farmers in the flood-affected areas of Lakshmipur and Noakhali are up against severe challenges as much of their Aman rice crops are immature. By mid-January, the Aman rice is typically harvested, but this year hundreds of acres are a sad image of unripe rice plants.

Although the rice plants are still green, they are far from ready for harvest. Farmers like Anwar, 60, and Matiur, 55, have said that many fields are missing rice grains altogether, with panicles failing to emerge or producing empty grains. 

As the plants need another 15-20 days to mature, the farmers are being forced to make difficult decisions. Many are cutting the unripe rice to use as fodder for cattle in an effort to salvage something from the situation. This has left farmers in deep despair, struggling to recover from last year's floods.

Anwar, who lives in Maijchhara village near both Lakshmipur Sadar upazila and Noakhali Sadar upazila, has faced significant hardships. 

His seedlings were damaged five times by floods, even after replanting each time. On his sixth attempt, he bought rice seedlings from the market, hoping for a good harvest. By October, the land had dried up, and he irrigated the crops several times. However, by January 15, no rice panicles had appeared. With no grain in sight, Anwar began cutting the green rice plants. 

"I've lost around Tk15,000 from my 40 decimals of land. Now, with nothing left to do, I'm overwhelmed with anxiety," said Anwar.

Farmers Matiur and Kamal from Charkadira union in Kamalnagar upazila, Lakshmipur, faced similar struggles. After replanting five times following four failed attempts, their crops also yielded no harvest. Both are now cutting the green plants to use as fodder for their cattle.

A visit to the fields shows a bleak situation across hundreds of acres in Noakhali Sadar, Lakshmipur Sadar, Kamalnagar and Ramgati upazilas. Many farmers are frustrated, selling their green plants as fodder or cutting down rice plants to prepare for soybean cultivation.

In August 2024, devastating floods severely impacted areas in Noakhali and Lakshmipur, where nearly 90% of the population depend on farming and labour for their livelihoods. Despite lacking seeds, farmers gathered them from distant places in hopes of a good harvest. Now, seeing no crop yield, they are threatened with significant losses once again.

TBS spoke with several farmers to understand why they are facing such difficulties with their rice crops this time. 

Abul Kalam and Tuhin from Charkadira union noted that farming is like an addiction to them. However, after the floods in August, they could not plant rice. Some farmers tried to prepare seedbeds five or six times, with some succeeding and others failing to produce seedlings. 

They used their own seeds, market seeds and even seeds provided through government incentives. But despite all efforts, the rice plants are not yielding any crops. 

Some believe the rice was planted too late, while others suspect poor seed quality. Regardless of the cause, thousands of farmers are now left with nothing.

Shamsuddin Firoz, deputy director of the Lakshmipur Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said, "Sixty percent of the Aman rice planted across Lakshmipur district after the flood has yielded a good crop." However, he acknowledged that many farmers' rice crops had been ruined. 

Firoz added that Aman rice is a light-sensitive plant, and the issues primarily stemmed from delayed planting.

According to reports from the District Relief and Rehabilitation Office and the DAE, three phases of floods occurred in Lakshmipur, Noakhali and Feni districts in August 2024. As a result, Aman rice was planted on only 45,770 hectares of the 83,200 hectares in Lakshmipur district. By January 2025, farmers had harvested 60% of these crops.

The DAE also reported that 157,209 farmers in Lakshmipur suffered a loss of Tk227.65 crore. In response, the department assisted 6,000 farmers by providing each of them with 5 kg of rice seeds, 20 kg of fertiliser and Tk1,000. 

However, farmers have complained that the BRRI dhan75 and BR 17 rice varieties provided as part of the incentives either produced no grain or only empty grains. In response, the DAE explained that the issues were linked to the untimely planting of the rice.