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Unique in nutrition, flour is the second most sought after food in our country after rice. And this flour comes from wheat. However, due to various problems and low prices, the farmers of Satkhira's Tala Upazila are losing interest in wheat cultivation like other parts of the country. But winter is the best time to harvest wheat. Last season, the fungal 'blast' disease started in wheat fields in different parts of the country. As there is no cure for this disease, the wheat of the affected land is destroyed very quickly. Even the wheat fields of some lands have to be burnt down due to which the farmers are in dire straits.
Wheat has been cultivated in only 175 hectares of land in the upazila due to unfavorable soil and current climate, and low yields with increased production. Farmers think that there are comparatively more benefits by cultivating other crops than wheat. He is cultivating other crops instead of wheat. Wheat cultivation has been observed in Hazrakati, Mahandi, Harishchandrakati, Khalilnagar, Dohar, Magura, Jatpur and Kalia areas of the upazila.
Shuvrangshu Shekhar Das, Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer, said that wheat was cultivated in 205 hectares of land in Tala Upazila in 2016. It was done in 2016 on 200 hectares of land. And in 2018, 2019 and 2020, it gradually decreased to 175 hectares of land. Wheat cultivation has gradually started to decline. However, efforts are being made to increase wheat cultivation, he said.
Mohammad Islam Hossain of Harishchandrakati village said he has cultivated wheat on 33 decimals of land as per the advice of the agriculture office. He gets free wheat seeds from the agriculture office. At present the condition of the crop is also very good. He hopes to get good yields if the weather is normal and there is no attack of fungal blast disease.
Another farmer, Mohammad Habibur Rahman, said he has cultivated wheat on 15 decimals of land with government assistance. When you come to the land and see the crop, your mind is absorbed. He said he would cultivate wheat on more land next year with government support.
However, a farmer named Afzal Hossain said that at present one kg of coarse rice is being sold at Tk 42-48 and one kg of flour is being sold at only Tk 25-26. He also said that he is giving up wheat cultivation day by day as the price of flour is low in the market.
Tala Upazila Agriculture Officer Hazira Khatun said, "According to the latest information, wheat has been cultivated in 175 hectares of land this time." We have provided free fertilizer and wheat seeds to some farmers through exhibition plots. Moreover, training has been provided to farmers on wheat cultivation this year. She added that all government facilities will be provided to the farmers.
Source: Online/SZK
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