The arrival of autumn has transformed the rural landscape of Jamalpur, with golden paddy fields stretching across the countryside and farmers busy harvesting their crops.
The fragrance of freshly harvested paddy fills the air as agricultural activities gather pace across the district. While harvesting is underway in some fields, threshing and preparations for storing the new crop are taking place elsewhere.
A visit to different parts of the district, including Belgachha, Sapdhari, Durmuth, Kalibari, Titpalla and Rashidpur, revealed farmers and agricultural workers working from early morning to bring the ripe paddy home.
Some farmers were cutting paddy with sickles, while others were bundling the harvested crops and transporting them home by vans or on their heads. Threshing and drying activities were also visible in different fields.
For farmers, the harvest season is one of the most rewarding periods of the year, marking the culmination of months of hard work and care. However, rising production costs have emerged as a major concern alongside the joy of a good harvest.
Local farmers said favourable weather and the timely availability of agricultural inputs had contributed to a good yield this year. Many are optimistic after seeing the condition of their crops in the fields.
However, higher prices of fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation and agricultural labour have pushed up production costs, raising concerns over whether they will get fair prices for their paddy.
A farmer from Rashidpur said the yield had been good this year, but recovering production expenses would depend on getting reasonable prices in the market.
The harvesting season has also brought fresh momentum to the rural economy. Agricultural workers, transporters and people involved in threshing and drying are seeing increased work opportunities.
Many farmers are also using modern machinery to speed up harvesting and threshing, reducing both time and labour requirements and making it easier to bring crops home.
Agriculture officials are providing necessary field-level advice to farmers, including guidance on the appropriate harvesting time, prompt threshing and proper storage to minimise post-harvest losses.
Farmers hope that the favourable production outlook will be matched by satisfactory market prices.
The golden harvest from Jamalpur's fields plays an important role in meeting the country's food demand. However, farmers and local stakeholders believe that ensuring fair prices in line with production costs is essential to sustaining agricultural growth and improving farmers' livelihoods.
With the new paddy gradually making its way into farmers' homes, the district is witnessing a festive harvest season. Farmers now hope that the fruits of their hard work will bring financial relief and prosperity.
