Boro to get all attention after Aman losses

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S M Jahangir
The government will be paying focused attention to the upcoming 'Boro' cropping season to offset the foodgrain output shortfall, caused by a series of natural calamities, including the recent cyclone 'Sidr'.
Agriculturists and experts have estimated a nearly 2.0-million tonnes of foodgrain shortfall in the fiscal year (FY) 2007-08 mainly due to significant losses caused to 'Aman' crop by two consecutive floods and the latest cyclone.
The country had suffered crop losses to the tune of 1.0 million and 1.2 million tonnes because of the two consecutive floodings in the months of July and August. The Aman plantation target was earlier set at 13 million tonnes.
Besides, the severe cyclonic storm, which hit south and south-western districts of the country on November 15, also damaged matured Aman crop in over 1.5. million acres of land.
According to the preliminary assessment, the total loss of aman crop due to the cyclone could be between 0.6 million and 0.7 million tonnes, a senior Agriculture Ministry official said.
He further said the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) is still assessing the cyclone-related losses to Aman crop. An assessment report will be sent to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), he added.
After receiving the assessment report from the DAE, the ministry will prepare an extensive agriculture rehabilitation programme for the Sidr-affected districts, the official added.
Officials sources, however, said the government is considering taking all possible steps to boost the country's next Boro output in order to reducing the country's overall foodgrain deficit.
"Taking the huge losses to the current Aman crop into account, the MoA has already initiated the process to facilitate massive cultivation of the next Boro crop across the country," an official said.
Under the initiative, it will soon strengthen the agriculture rehabilitation programme for the flood and cyclone-hit districts to help the affected farmers recoup their crop losses.
Under the rehabilitation programme, certain quantities of seeds and fertilisers will be distributed free of cost among the affected farmers in the upcoming Boro season, sources said.
Apart from the rehabilitation, the government will be trying to bring increased areas of land under Boro plantation in the coming season.
Last year, nearly 4.2 million hectare of land came under Boro plantation with the country total rice output recording at 14.50 million tonnes, official figures showed.
"This year, we have decided to promote cultivation of hybrid variety of crop on at least 1.0 million hectares of land compared to that of only 0.25 million hectares in the last Boro season to help boost the per acre yield," an official informed the FE.
However, the MOA has taken up necessary steps to ensure the smooth supply of fertilisers, quality seeds and irrigation supports during the ensuing Boro season.
In addition to that, necessary steps have already been taken to ensure easy availability to agri-credit for both the cyclone and flood-hit farmers, the official mentioned.
Meanwhile, the MoA has also taken up a move to facilitate a 'massive' cultivation of pulses, especially moong, in the cyclone-hit coastal districts namely Barguna, Bhola and Patuakhali, where Boro crop is not usually grown, the ministry sources said.