Rats damage crops worth Tk 7.23b

At least Tk 7.23 billion worth crops have been damaged by rats in the current fiscal year. Agricultural Minister Matia Chowdhury told in parliament on Sunday, report agencies.
The minister said this while replying to a query of treasury bench member M Abdul Latif during the question and answer session in the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
The minister said, in the 2014-15 FY around 237,744 tonnes of paddy have been damaged by rats, which is estimated  to be worth Tk 4.39 billion in the market.
Around 62,764 tonnes of rice with a market price of Tk 2.0 billion, and 29,660 tonnes of wheat with an estimated market price of Tk 830 million were damaged by the rats in the current fiscal.
According to the agriculture ministry, around 30 million tonnes of rice and paddy and around 1.2 million tonnes of wheat are produced in a year. The damaged crops amounts to one per cent of the total crops produced in a year.