As the aroma of freshly harvested Aman rice spreads across rural homesteads, farmers across Bangladesh are passing some of their busiest days of the season. Threshing yards are packed, paddy fields are crowded with workers, and village markets are swelling with new-season grain.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), 60-70 percent of Aman paddy fields nationwide have already been harvested, marking a successful start to the 2025-26 Aman season. Early market feedback suggests both production and prices are encouraging, bringing smiles to farmers after months of weather uncertainties.
Production Strong Despite Weather Challenges: This year’s Aman crop faced patches of excessive rainfall and waterlogging in several regions. However, agricultural officials say the impact on national production will be minimal due to high yields in most areas.
DAE officials noted that 57 lakh hectares of land were targeted for Aman cultivation this season, with a production target of 1.78 crore metric tonnes. Districts like Dinajpur, Sunamganj, Chattogram, and Netrokona even exceeded their cultivation targets, supported by timely rainfall and expanded use of high-yielding varieties.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data shows a steady rise in yield per hectare over recent years: 2024-25: 2.95 tonnes, 2023-24: 2.81 tonnes, 2022-23: 2.69 tonnes, 2021-22: 2.61 tonnes. Agriculture officials say this year’s results are likely to continue that upward trend. A senior DAE official told Daily Industry, “Favorable rainfall and rapid expansion of improved varieties like BRRI dhan-103, 108, and 110 have boosted yield potential in most regions.” Farmers Happy With Prices as New Grain Fills Markets: From Narsingdi to Sirajganj, the story is largely the same - strong yields and market rates that are bringing relief after years of rising input costs.
Narsingdi: Festive Mood in Villages: In Narsingdi, farmers in Raipura, Monohardi, Belabo, and Shibpur upazilas have started bringing home short- and medium-duration Aman varieties. K.B.D. Salah Uddin Tipu, Additional Deputy Director (Crops), told Daily Industry,
“Timely rains helped immensely this year. Farmers did not need extra irrigation, which reduced production costs significantly.”
Farmer stories from the district reflect a mix of joy and isolated concerns:
Matiur Rahman, a farmer from Shilmandi, said he expected around 15 maunds from his acre but suffered losses as rats damaged his field. “Now I may get only 10-12 maunds,” he said. Bachchu Mia of Palash reported better success: “I cultivated Aman on two acres. The crop looks excellent. If I can complete the harvest on time, I’ll make a good profit.” Tofazzal Ahmed of Shibpur expects 40-52 maunds per acre across his seven acres, calling it “my best Aman season in years.”
Sirajganj: Strong Harvest and Better Market Rates: Sirajganj’s Raiganj upazila is buzzing with activity as nearly 65% of paddy fields have been harvested.
Farmer Abdus Sattar of Chandikona said he harvested 32 maunds from two bighas of BRRI dhan-103. “My cost per bigha was around Tk 8,000. So I’m satisfied with the harvest,” he said. Manilal Mahato from Binodanbari harvested 38 maunds from three bighas of Kataribhog, despite pest attacks. He sold his paddy at Tk 1,840 per maund, which is about Tk 100 higher than last year.
Large-scale farmer Nazmul Islam cultivated Swarna-5 and BRRI dhan-51 on 28 bighas.
“Brown planthopper and stem borer forced me to spray pesticides three times,” he said.
“Still, I got 14-15 maunds per bigha. Prices are Tk 1,250-1,300, similar to last year. Those who can work their own land get better profit.” Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Mominul Islam confirmed the trend, telling Daily Industry,
“Late Aman varieties performed better this year. Though some areas saw early-season flooding and cyclone-related losses, improved seed varieties and proper pest management helped ensure strong overall yield.”
Farmers’ Profit Margins Improve as Costs Fall: One of the main reasons behind farmer satisfaction this season is the reduction in irrigation cost due to timely rainfall.
A DAE official noted, “In many upazilas, farmers didn’t need to operate deep tube wells this season. That alone saved Tk 3,000-5,000 per acre in input cost.”
Meanwhile, prices in rural haats remain steady, between Tk 1,250 and Tk 1,840 per maund, depending on variety and district. Farmers say even the lower end of the price range is workable due to reduced expenditure.
Outlook: Harvest to Peak within Two Weeks: With around one-third of fields still standing, agricultural officers estimate that all Aman harvesting will be completed in the next two weeks nationwide. The Ministry of Agriculture expects that strong production will help stabilize rice prices in the retail market in the coming months - a key relief for consumers already facing high food inflation. A senior agricultural economist told Daily Industry, “If current trends hold, Aman output will support food security and reduce import pressure. Retail market stability will depend on efficient procurement and storage management.”
