Farmers across the haor are passing through various crises including diesel shortage and clay roads. Especially due to diesel shortage, farmers are facing various complications in harvesting ripe paddy in haor. The same situation is faced by harvester owners in Tahirpur.According to the agricultural office sources, there are 68 harvester machines in the upazila for harvesting paddy in haor. This year, boro paddy has been cultivated on 17,089 hectares of land in Shanir, Matian, Angaruli, Mahalia and extended Gurmar haors of the upazila.Local farmers of the concerned haors said that boro paddy has been cultivated on a total of 25,000 hectares of land in Tahirpur upazila this year. The total paddy cultivation has not been mentioned in the accounts of the agricultural office.It is learned that on April 5, a meeting was held in the upazila with harvester owners regarding paddy harvesting organized by the upazila agricultural office. The harvester owners present at the meeting were informed that there is no shortage of diesel. They should help farmers harvest paddy in the haor at the prescribed rate. But the reality is completely different. When they go to the haor, it is seen that the harvesters are not able to provide proper service in harvesting paddy. Most of the time, the owners have to return empty-handed when they go to get diesel.Mushihur Rahman Milon, a farmer and harvester owner from Baradal village in Matian Haorpar, said that on April 5, officials from the agriculture office had told them that there was no shortage of diesel. In reality, they are seeing the opposite. Dealers are given a token from the agriculture office to buy diesel. To get that token, they have to get the signatures of the agriculture officer and deputy assistant agriculture officer on the NID card and harvester papers.
Harvester owners have to stand in line to get the signatures. In this way, days pass to get the token signed. Later, when they reach any dealer shop with that token, the dealer tells them that diesel has run out today. Then they have to return without getting diesel and empty tanks.In this situation, they are forced to buy diesel at high prices from retailers in Dumper Bazar, Sreepur Bazar and Tahirpur Bazar to harvest paddy for farmers in the haor. This makes it impossible to harvest paddy at the fixed price. Again, many harvester owners are telling farmers that if they bring diesel, they will harvest paddy for the remaining amount, excluding the cost of diesel. They have bought diesel from various markets at a rate of 150 taka per liter.Nahidul Islam, a farmer from Uzan Tahirpur village, the owner of the harvester in Shanir Haor, said that he bought diesel at a rate of 100,10 taka per liter from the pump last year. Currently, he is buying diesel from dealers at a minimum of 110 taka per liter. However, the price of fuel oil has been increased once.Atiqur Rahman, the owner of two harvesters in Bhati Tahirpur village, said that he had stored diesel for a long time. Paddy harvesting has started in full swing in Shanir Haor. Farmers in Shanir Haor will not have any problem harvesting paddy. He said that 20 percent of the paddy in Shanir Haor has been harvested so far.Farmer Sirajul Islam of Sulemanpur village in Mahalia Haorpar said that harvester owners are harvesting paddy at a rate of 2,000 taka per quiar (a quiar in the 30th century) this year. Last year, they charged 1,700 to 1,800 taka. Due to the diesel crisis, farmers are being forced to harvest paddy at a higher price. However, the harvesters in the haor break down for two days after harvesting paddy for one day.Farmer Ebadul Islam of Bhati Tahirpur village said that there is no end to the suffering in the haor this year.
Due to continuous rains, muddy water has accumulated on the roads. There is also a diesel crisis.Tahirpur Upazila Agriculture Officer Shariful Islam said that in order to ensure that harvester owners are not harassed for getting diesel, they are providing the necessary certificates as soon as possible when the owners bring their NID cards and harvester machine documents to the office.
