Floods threaten drop in rice production by 8.5 lakh tonnes
However, the agricultural extension department has yet to assess the financial extent of the damage
Sudden floods in Bangladesh, triggered by heavy rainfall and a monsoon depression in the Bay of Bengal, have caused extensive damage to Aman paddy, Aman seedbeds, Aush paddy, and vegetables in at least 12 districts.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, rice production may decrease by 8.5 lakh tonnes due to recent floods in various districts. The severe floods have caused significant damage to agricultural lands, raising concerns about a potential decline in Aush and Aman paddy yields.
According to the agriculture ministry, 12 districts have suffered extensive crop damage due to floods. Apart from this, 15 other districts suffered minor crop damage due to flood conditions.
In the floods, 2,91,033 hectares of paddy land, where the current season's Aman and Aush paddy is grown, have been affected. Based on the national average from the last season (BBS), this area was expected to produce at least 841,234 tonnes of rice.
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According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, paddy fields in 12 districts have been severely impacted by the floods, potentially leading to a total loss of rice production. Additionally, 19,680 hectares of Aman seedbeds have been completely devastated.
A total of 3,39,382 hectares of agricultural land, including paddy, vegetables, ginger, turmeric, chilli, fruit orchards, watermelons, papayas, summer onions and tomatoes, betel nuts, and sugarcane have been affected by the floods. After rice, vegetable production suffered the most, which was completely destroyed, the department added.
However, the agricultural extension department has yet to assess the financial extent of the damage.
However, according to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, the ongoing floods in 12 districts have caused irreparable damage worth over Tk2000 crore to the fish and livestock sector.
At a press conference last Sunday, Fish and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar said the fisheries sector alone had suffered damage worth Tk1,590.36 crore in the ongoing floods affecting 86 upazilas across the Chattogram, Sylhet, and Khulna divisions.
Floods have impacted 180,899 ponds, reservoirs, and farms, causing damage to 90,768 tonnes of fish and shrimp, and affecting 3,746 lakh fish fry and shrimp post-larvae, she added.
Additionally, infrastructure has been extensively damaged. Livestock, fodder, and related resources have also been destroyed in 12 flood-affected districts, with losses exceeding Tk411 crore, including in milk, eggs, cattle, and poultry.
The livestock adviser said the sudden floods had severely affected the fish and livestock sectors, resulting in livestock deaths and fish being washed away.
The government announced three steps to recover from the damage in the livestock sector. Of them, on an emergency basis, feed will be supplied and distributed, poultry will be vaccinated against diseases and grass will be distributed.
Apart from this, the government has outlined a series of recovery measures including providing easy-term loans for the rehabilitation of the affected fish farmers.
According to the disaster-related daily report of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief on Sunday, 12, 38,048 families are still underwater in 11 districts of the country. The number of affected people in these areas is more than 57.01 lakh. So far 23 people have died in the floods.
