Farming of saltwater shrimps and Boro cultivation are attracting most of the farmers in the district’s Koyra upazila. It has increased in recent times, compared to previous years.
After Cyclone Aila’s rampage in 2009, a little amount of Aman cultivation was present in the region, with Boro cultivation almost non-existent.
Saltwater shrimp farming was the first occupation after Aila, which began substantially but had decreased over the past 2-3 years. Currently it is cultivated in Koyra on a 37,000 bigha stretch of land.
This was due to a string of dry seasons, which prompted many to opt for Boro cultivation. This gamble paid off and they have since switched from shrimp to Boro, which is now cultivated on a 35,000 stretch of land in Koyra upazila.
Sources at the local fisheries office said after Aila, shrimp farming was recorded in over 60,000 bighas of land in the region, but now the number has come down to 37,000.
Farmers have blamed this on the increase of silt in the farmlands, which in turn increased the height of the farms, as well as viruses plaguing the shrimps. This caused many to miss their production targets, incurring losses as a result.
They later switched to Boro cultivation, something employed by their forefathers, and they have not looked back since.
Altaf Hossain, a farmer in Koyra’s Asamdinabad village, said the elevation of farmlands’ height and the advent of viruses often resulted in the perishing of more than 90% of their shrimps.
Another farmer of nearby Gorakpur village, Daud Gazi, said Boro cultivation is more profitable, as the hay can later be used for livestock feed, especially for domesticated cows, as well as fuel.
Alauddin Ahmed, upazila fisheries officer, acknowledged the sharp fall in shrimp cultivation, but remarked that farmers are trying fish farming as a viable alternative.
Local department of agriculture extension (DAE) officer Mizan Mahmud said the cultivation of BINA 10, BINA 8, BRRI 67 and BRRI 28 breeds of Boro rice are reaping profits for farmers.
But he also acknowledged that shrimp farming in the region will dwindle in the coming years, as the height of farmlands are set to increase more in the near future.