As soon as the indigenous styles of paddy were cultivated on a mammoth scale in haor areas in Sunamganj.
Nonetheless with the passage of time the native paddies have confidence nearly disappeared thanks to the appearance of excessive-yielding hybrid styles.
Local farmers and others engaging with agriculture blamed the growing dominance of multinational companies and hybrid paddy cultivation.
Merely two a protracted time within the past, the haors equivalent to Shani, Matian, Mahalir and Bordi Gurmas in Tahirpur upazila of the district had been thriving with assorted native styles of Boro paddy, grown to shield in opposition to floods.
Indigenous Boro paddy used to be straightforward to cultivate with no fertilizers or pesticides. These styles were resilient to climatic adjustments, surviving excessive rainfall or drought with minimal influence and even did now not need irrigation.
On the opposite hand, in fresh years, the upward thrust of hybrid paddy and the aggressive dominance by multinational companies are pushing the extinct styles out of the fields.
Looking out for elevated yields, farmers are transferring to hybrid paddy because the authorities is encouraging hybrid paddy cultivation to ensure meals security and self-sufficiency.
No topic this shift, Tahirpur Upazila Agriculture Workplace continues to expose farmers to withhold seeds of local paddy styles alongside excessive-yield hybrids.
Among the native styles which have confidence already disappeared from the haor space are Rata, Gachi Shail, Najishail, Lakai, Pani Shail, Bor, Tepy, Rangila Tepy, Rajashail, Begun Bichi, and Boro Zira.
These styles, once old to put collectively delicious dishes for guests, were no longer handiest identified for his or her kind however also their nutritional tag.
Local agriculture officers acknowledged that the low yield of indigenous paddy has precipitated farmers to lose hobby in cultivating. Now styles cherish BRRI Dhan-28, BRRI Dhan-29, BRRI-1203, and Shakti for the time being are the dominant crops within the haors.
In Shani Haor of the upazila, farmer Jasim Uddin acknowledged that cultivating indigenous paddy old to be cheaper and for the length of harvest time, the village used to be filled with extinct snacks cherish pithas (rice cakes), payesh (rice pudding), chira (flattened rice), khoi (puffed rice), and muri (puffed rice).
These celebrations have confidence now disappeared. He also acknowledged that indigenous paddy cultivation did now not require excessive use of fertilizers or pesticides.
Echoing Jasim, one other famer Satyar Ray acknowledged that they did now not deserve to buy paddy seeds from the market within the past. They would simply retailer some of their harvest to use as seeds for the following year.
On the opposite hand, now they must win dear seeds once a year, and in addition they also deserve to apply mammoth amounts of pesticides, fertilizers, and water to enact passable yields, he recalled.
Asaduzzaman, plant conservation officer at Tahirpur Upazila Agriculture Workplace, shared that farmers are selecting excessive-yielding paddy styles to fetch more benefits.
He acknowledged that for the length of assorted practising sessions organised by the agriculture place of work, they wait on farmers to withhold indigenous paddy seeds along with hybrid styles.
No topic the lower yield, indigenous paddy is offered at a elevated tag available within the market, he seen.
