Harvesting of High Yielding Variety (HYV) and hybrid variety of ripened Boro paddy has been going on in full swing in the down-stream areas of the district for the last seven days. Boro cultivators are seen rendering their field-level service round the clock for cutting and harvesting the ripened Boro paddy without any delay with a view to protect their hard-earned crop from any natural calamities including flash flooding. Talking to this BSS, Deputy Director (DD) of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Mohammad Nuruzzaman said the farmers cultivate Boro paddy on a total of 1, 85,320 hectors of land in 10 upazilas of the district during the current season. Over 12, 37 lakhs metric tonnes of Boro paddy are expected to be produced in the district this year, he said. 'The farmers' cultivated Boro paddy on 41,070 hectors of land in the haor areas of the district. Boro cultivators in the Haor areas are now happy and in festive mood as they are getting better output rate of the crop. Over 2, 82 lak hs tonnes of Boro paddy are expected to be produced there', he informed. Following the instructions of the government, the DAE field-level officials and crops specialists have been working together with the Boro cultivators of the haor areas to harvest high yielding and hybrid varieties of the paddy as early as possible to protect those from different natural calamities like flash flooding , Nuruzzaman said. The government at the directives of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina supplied 560 combined harvester machines to the door-steps of the farmers to expedite the harvesting, he added. The DD said by this time, over 25 percent of Boro crops of the haor areas have already been harvested. Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Netrakona Shahed Parvez told BSS that the district administration has been closely monitoring the Boro paddy harvesting in the haor areas and cooperating with the Boro cultivators round the clock to complete the paddy cutting works timely without facing any natural disaster like flood. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha