34pc crops in 81 upazilas under water
Staff Correspondent
The ongoing deluge has inundated 34 percent of the standing crop including aman and vegetables of 81 upazilas in 19 districts, sources at Agriculture Extension Department (DAE) said. They however are not sure of the extent of damage to transplanted aman as it may revive if the water recedes in a day or two. "Transplanted aman can sustain 72 hours totally submerged. Even with a few leaves left above the water, it continues to live and grow. So, we can't calculate right away how much of the aman crop will be spoiled," said a DAE official. But, agriculturists apprehend all the submerged vegetables will be ruined leading possibly to a price hike. The DAE is yet to assess the total damage from this latest flooding as the torrential rain is still on. Until Wednesday, crops in 395,056 hectares out of total 1,176,606 hectares were inundated in the districts, DAE sources said. Of that aman fields account for 370,375 hectares and vegetables 7,982 hectares. According to DAE sources, most of the crop fields in Dhaka, Chittagong, Laxmipur, Cox's Bazar, Rajbari, Madaripur, Faridpur, Gazipur, Feni, Noakhali, Jamalpur and Brahmanbaria are under water. According to government assessment, the month-long devastating flash floods earlier this year ruined crops worth over Tk 2,000 crore affecting nearly 46 lakh farmers. Of them 26 lakh farmers have received transplanted aman saplings and vegetable seeds under a government relief programme. The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank will provide further support to the flood-hit farmers. A 40-member joint team of the banks is currently conducting a need assessment towards that end.
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