Rising fuel costs put Jamalpur Aman farmers under pressure

A hike in diesel prices has increased irrigation costs for Aman farmers in Jamalpur, forcing many to reduce or even stop irrigation during the crucial growing period.
Farmers said the higher fuel prices have made it difficult to afford diesel-powered irrigation, particularly in char areas where alternative water sources are limited.
In several parts of the district, aman fields have developed cracks and become dry due to inadequate irrigation. Farmers fear that prolonged water shortages could affect rice growth and reduce yields.
Jamalpur is an agriculture-based district comprising seven upazilas. More than 120,000 hectares of land have been brought under Aman cultivation this season, while vegetables and other crops have been cultivated on around 2,000 hectares.
Many farmers, particularly those in char areas, depend on diesel-run irrigation pumps. The increase in diesel prices in the middle of the Aman season has added to their production costs, they said.
Habil Sek, a farmer from Dewanganj Sadar Union, and Sharif Miah of Bahadurpur in Palbandha Union, Islampur, said irrigation costs had increased significantly following the diesel price hike. They are already spending more on fertiliser, pesticides and labour. The additional irrigation cost has made Aman cultivation even more difficult. they said.
Manu Mia, a farmer from Kuliya Union in Melandaha, said irregular irrigation due to higher costs could hamper the growth of rice plants and eventually reduce yields.
Farmers said production costs have increased across the board, while they remain uncertain whether rice prices will rise enough to cover the additional expenses. They called for measures to keep irrigation costs within an affordable range during the aman season.
Agriculture officials said adopting modern and cost-effective irrigation methods could help reduce fuel consumption and production costs.
Abdullah Al Faisal, agriculture officer of Islampur upazila, said farmers were under pressure from rising irrigation costs following the increase in fuel prices.
“Timely irrigation is essential for maintaining aman yields. Farmers can reduce energy consumption and production costs by adopting modern, cost-effective irrigation technologies,” he said.
He added that ensuring affordable irrigation while keeping production costs under control was now a major challenge for aman farmers in the district.