Sirajul Islam Mallick, Jenaidah
The inauguration of the sugarcane threshing season of Mubarakganj Sugar Mill is in danger due to unusual rains. As a result, the inauguration is not taking place on the scheduled day. Cyclones on the 5th and 6th of this month, due to the effects of the tidal wave, inundated the plains. This damaged the planted sugarcane fields of Mobarakganj Sugar Mill area. Yet most of the sugarcane is under cheese. The soils of the lands from which water has been removed are also soft. As a result, there are concerns whether the mill will be able to be inaugurated on the scheduled date of December 24.
Sugarcane growers claim that if sugarcane is cut from the waterlogged land, it will not be possible to keep it for next year’s planting. As a result, the farmers will be severely affected. On the other hand, if the road is not suitable for transporting sugarcane, it will cost more to reach the mill. Abdus Salam Mintu, a sugarcane farmer from Gobardanga village in Mill area, said, “I have standing sugarcane on 9 bighas of land in the current threshing season. The unseasonal rains have submerged all my sugarcane fields. After a week of rain, no field was suitable for harvesting sugarcane. After two weeks, two to three bighas of sugarcane can be cut and matched.”
Humayun Kabir, a farmer at Ghighati Sugarcane Purchasing Center, said, “I planted sugarcane on six bighas of land this year. All the lands of unseasonal rains are now under water. All the sugarcane seedlings have been destroyed due to rains. As a result, I have to replant sugarcane in the field.”
Masudur Rahman Montu, general secretary of Mubarakganj Sugar Mill Sugarcane Farmers ‘Association, said the sugarcane of farmers’ land was not yet suitable for harvesting. I demand the inauguration of the threshing season of the mill keeping in view that the mill is not damaged and the sugarcane growers are also not damaged.
DGM (Extension) of Mubarakganj Sugar Mills Gautam Kumar Mandal said, “We have inspected the lands of the farmers in the mill area. Most of the land is under water. At this moment, if sugarcane is cut from the land, there will be a lot of damage to the sugarcane. Sugarcane growers claim that in the interest of sugarcane, the mill has requested to start threshing a few days late.”
