Pankaj Dastider
CHITTAGONG, Aug 14: The agriculture sector faces setback as crops on 21,000 acres of land in Chittagong have been damaged due to recent rainfall and flood.
The flood caused by incessant rain from July 21 to August 2 came as a blow to some 0.144 million (one lakh 44 thousand) farmers of the district. The extent of damage of Aman paddy seed-beds stood at around Tk 570 million in terms of money, sources concerned said.
Officials at the Department of Agriculture Extension said seeds of Aman have been distributed among the farmers to cover the damage to seed-beds.
They said the Aus crops have also been damaged by the flood. Some 7,595 tonnes of Aus crops on 8,566 acres of land have been levelled and 40,000 farmers have suffered loss worth Tk 212.65 million.
At Mirsarai the Aus crop on 232 acres of land was damaged. Some 494 acres of Aus land were damaged at Mirsarai, 2322 acres at Sandwip, 20 acres at Boalkhali, 604 acres at Patiya, 519 acres at Anwara, 2,717 acres at Chandanaish, 741 acres at Satkania and 914 acres at Banskhali.
A total 6,916 acres of Aman seed-bed was damaged during the prolonged rain and flood affecting about 83,000 farmers with their losses to the tune of Tk 100 million.
Aman seed-beds in 234 acres of land at Mirsarai, 37 acres at Sitakunda, 188 acres at Fatikchhari, 284 acres at Hathazari, 511 acres at Raozan, 203 acres at Rangunia, 679 acres at Sandwip, 333 acres at Boalkhali, 1,173 acres at Patiya, 494 acres at Anwara, 618 acres at Chandanaish, 1,235 acres at Satkania, 889 acres at Banskhali and 27 acres at Patenga were damaged. Planted Aman paddy of 4,405 farmers at different upazilas of the district has also been damaged.
The worst sufferers were the vegetable growers in the district. Some 17,200 farmers have been affected by the flood caused by heavy shower over a week. Some 13,880 tonnes of vegetables worth Tk 192.70 million have been damaged.
The damage of vegetables has caused exorbitant price hike of most of them in the post-flood kitchen market and the prices of vegetables are yet to come down to normal.
Relating to rehabilitation of the affected farmers the district agriculture officer of Chittagong Aminul Haque Chowdhury said a report on the extent of damage of crops and vegetables by recent rain and flood has already been sent to the ministry. Meanwhile, some 73 tonnes of seeds of the Aman paddy have been distributed among the farmers through the local agriculture offices and local MPs, he said.
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