Floods and torrential rain have damaged crops worth about Tk 4.78 billion, with summer vegetables accounting for nearly half the total losses, according to a latest Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) report.
According to the ministry's final assessments, crops on 24,138 out of 817,000 hectares of cultivated land across 43 districts were damaged in the flooding.
Besides, the natural calamities also damaged an estimated 133,972 tonnes of agricultural produce.
The assessments show that summer vegetables suffered the heaviest losses, reflecting the sector's vulnerability to prolonged flooding and waterlogging.
The assessment report has estimated Tk 2.32 billion worth of losses to vegetables.
Crops on 8,836 out of the 214,000 hectares of cultivated vegetables were damaged across the country, resulting in the loss of 87,967 tonnes of the produce, says the report.
Other affected crops include Aus paddy, Aman seedbeds, ginger, chilli, turmeric, papaya, watermelon, groundnut, jute, banana, sugarcane, muskmelon, maize, and betel leaf.
About 12,783 hectares of cultivated Aus paddy and 1,746 hectares of Aman seedbeds were badly affected.
"Combined losses from the two rice crops were estimated at Tk 1.89 billion," says the assessment report.
The ministry has also estimated the losses to the tune of Tk 479 million in chilli, Tk 230 million in ginger and Tk 95 million in turmeric.
It further says more than 243,000 farmers across the country have been affected due to the floods.
The worst flood-hit districts are Brahmanbaria, Habiganj, Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari.
Agricultural economist Prof Dr Rashid Hasan says extensive crop losses could disrupt their supplies and contribute further to the inflation.
Prices of vegetables and several other perishable produce have already increased on the market following the floods, he told The Financial Express.
He has underscored the need for providing immediate support to the affected farmers to help them recoup the losses.
"If the affected farmers do not receive adequate assistance, many of them may reduce cultivation, which could have long-term implications on the food supplies," he said.
He further said there is still sufficient time for Aman transplantation. So, necessary steps should be taken so that the affected farmers can prepare new seedbeds.
Failure to do so could pose risks to the country's future food security as Aman is one of Bangladesh's principal rice crops, he warned.
Officials at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) say the government has begun distributing seeds and fertilisers to the farmers in the seven worst-affected districts.
DAE Field Services Wing Director Md Obaidur Rahman Mondal has said nearly 63,000 farmers have already received late-transplant Aman seeds for preparing new seedbeds.
He said necessary assistance would also be extended to the remaining affected farmers before the winter cropping season begins.
Immediate support has been ensured for severely affected farmers, while those with comparatively lesser losses will receive assistance too.
Meanwhile, persistent rainfall and flooding have already driven up prices in retail markets.
The price of green chilli has exceeded Tk 300 per kg, while most of the summer vegetables are selling around Tk 100 per kg at the retail levels.
Prices of brinjal, cucumber and several other vegetables have also shot up by Tk 20-50 per kg compared to their pre-flood levels, causing extra pressure on low- and middle-income consumers.
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