SHERPUR, Mar 11 (UNB): Farmer in Sherpur district may face a setback in potato production this season as a fungus called 'late blight' attacked potato on 60 per cent of the total cultivated land. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, some 3,000 hectares of land in the district have been brought under potato cultivation this season with a target to produce 47,170 tonnes of potato. But most of the potato fields have been attacked by fungus due to a wide gap between the day and night temperature, it added. While visiting the char areas in Sadar upazila, it was found that potato plants on vast tracts of land turned yellowish due to the 'late blight' attack. Apart from the general potato growers, the growers who signed contract with the BADC to produce seeds are also facing the same problem. In this situation, the agronomists are apprehending that the farmers might face seed crisis next season as potato on vast tracts of land have been damaged due to this fungus attack. Suruzzaman, farmer of Digholi village in Sadar, said he lost all his plants after two weeks of cultivation. "I have used different anti-fungus medicines to save my plants but to no effect," he said. Abdul Gani, a block cultivator of BADC, said that he could save some of his plants using medicines, which have increased his production cost. "If BADC does not increase its contractual production cost I shall have to incur a huge loss this season," he added. Deputy Director of DAE Jasimuddin Ahmed said abnormal weather is the main reason of the 'late blight' attack. According to the local BADC officials, some 219 farmers have been brought under the BADC contractual agreement to cultivate 270 acres of land, divided into 18 blocks, to produce 1,200 tonnes of potato seeds this season.
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