Tk3,346cr crops ravaged by floods

Recent floods have resulted in crop losses worth Tk3,346 crore across various districts in the country, according to the assessment of the Ministry of Agriculture. 

The recent floods have affected crop production in 23 districts, impacting over 14.14 lakh farmers.

A total of 986,214 tonnes of crops, including Aush and Aman paddy, vegetables, ginger, turmeric, fruit orchards, chilies, betel leaf, watermelon, papaya, and tomatoes, have been completely destroyed.

Among the crops, paddy production has suffered the most significant damage. The destruction of Aman paddy fields and nurseries has resulted in the loss of around 6,85,000 tonnes of paddy, which has been completely wiped out. Additionally, nearly 1,06,000 tonnes of Aush paddy production has been lost. In total, paddy production worth Tk2,519 crore has been destroyed.

Crops were grown on more than 14.3 lakh hectares across 23 flood-affected districts. On average, 14.58% of these crops have been destroyed. Following Aman and Aus paddies, vegetables have suffered significant losses, with 1.76 lakh tonnes of various vegetables being destroyed, amounting to a value of approximately Tk700 crore.

Rehabilitation efforts

The interim government is now placing the highest priority on re-cultivating Aman paddy as part of the agricultural rehabilitation efforts, officials at the agriculture ministry said.

Efforts have already begun to bring the damaged farmlands back under cultivation as quickly as possible, they said. A budget of Tk193 crore has been allocated for this initiative, said the officials. 

Aman paddy nurseries are being rapidly prepared in the affected areas to facilitate the replanting of Aman crops, they said.

Agriculture Secretary Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian told TBS, “The highest priority is being given to the preparation of Aman seedbeds. This is to ensure that the Aman fields where cultivation was destroyed can be replanted.”

Additionally, efforts are underway to provide all kinds of support to farmers to restore cultivation on vegetable and other affected lands, he said.

Agriculture Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury at a meeting held at the agriculture ministry on Saturday said the supply of fertilisers will remain normal, and therefore there will be no shortage of fertilisers for farmers.

On 24 August, the agriculture adviser held a meeting with the departments concerned. Several decisions were made regarding agricultural rehabilitation. It was emphasised that all necessary measures should be taken to ensure the target production of Aman paddy in flood-affected areas. 

They also emphasised that where Aman cultivation is not feasible, efforts should be made to ensure the production of suitable alternative crops, including vegetables.

The adviser instructed that the Aman seedbeds should be prepared as quickly as possible, with seedbeds being set up in areas close to the flood-affected regions. 

Officials at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) were asked to rapidly start the post-flood agricultural rehabilitation activities. 

Additionally, the adviser ordered officials concerned to devise block and upazila-based rehabilitation plans for the flood-affected farmers.

The officials said the DAE will work to bring all affected farmers under a stimulus package to ensure that the production of suitable crops on their lands does not face setbacks. Additionally, losses include Tk20 crore worth of ginger, Tk11 crore worth of turmeric, Tk17 crore worth of sugarcane, Tk40 crore worth of betel leaf, and Tk31 crore worth of bananas and other fruits.

Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries and Livestock has estimated that the floods have caused losses of Tk2,000 crore in the fish, aquaculture infrastructure, and livestock sectors. 

According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, approximately 7 lakh families were still waterlogged, with the death toll standing at 59 and one person still missing as of 31 August.