Editorial
Crops loss substantial
Place adequate fund for rehabilitation
We agree with the parliamentary standing committee on agriculture ministry that an astonishingly meagre sum of Tk 48 crore has been allocated for the mitigation of crop loss due to floods. This stands in stark contrast to the estimated damage worth a staggering Tk 1,400 crore. Such huge gap in allocation must be bridged, especially when the situation is predicted to worsen further. We hope the minister's assurances of an increased level of funding would be translated into action.The floods have hit the small farmers severely, affecting, according to an official estimate, at least three million farming households. Seeds for transplanted aman have been washed away. These need to be replaced in good time for use after waters recede. To that end, authorities will have to develop a very large number of seed-beds, and that too, in extremely difficult circumstances marked as they are by a paucity of dry lands. At the same time, the ministry concerned need to turn their attention to the spiralling fertilizer prices. Unless these are kept within an affordable range for the farmers, the rehabilitation programme might end up crumbling. To help farmers, the government might need to increase the agricultural subsidies, which, in terms of the budgetary allocation for the current fiscal, had already been doubled. What's needed most is the timely availability of agri-inputs to the farmers to help them quickly rebuild their lives in the flood aftermath.
|
|
