SIRAJGANJ, Sept 17: Due to the recent flood, crops worth about Tk 300 crore have been damaged in the district. Meanwhile, around 24,000 farmers were affected by the flood.
Abu Raihan of Malshin village under Tarash union in Tarash upazila of the district is a solvent farmer. He cultivates Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) on 50-bigha land. He maintains his family well with the rice he produces and meets other expenses round the year.
But, the recent flood has damaged the total paddy on his 50-bigha land. Now, he is worried how he will maintain his family. He is trying to recover from the damage by planting paddy again on his field. But the problem in this case is seedling crisis as most seedbeds have been damaged by the flood. The seedlings which are nominally available are pricey.
The similar problems were expressed by other farmers including Siddique of Kazipur village whose three-bigha paddy lands, Hajji Kalam of the same village whose five-bigha paddy lands, and Md Rafiqul Islam of the same village whose nine-bigha paddy lands have totally been damaged by the flood. Now, they are incurring huge economic loss.
They informed that it would take two to three years to recover from the loss that they incurred due to the flood this year. Now, they have become loan defaulters. Like them, many farmers have also suffered loss.
Those who are trying to plant paddy on their lands are hardly getting any seedlings. Like the T-Aman, the condition in the case of Broadcast Aman is also deplorable. With the recession of flood water, the Broadcast Aman paddy plants have been damaged. The farmers who planted Broadcast Aman have fallen into troubles.
Jamal and Hashem of Washin village said, "We spent about Tk 4,000 to cultivate T-Aman paddy in per bigha of land. But, after the flood, we have to spend more than Tk 5,000 to cultivate the same in per bigha of land. The reason behind this is the scarcity of seedlings and their increased price. As a result, we are spending more money to cultivate the T-Aman paddy. We urge the government to help us by giving different agro inputs free of cost."
Like Abu Raihan, Jamal and Hashem, many farmers are facing setback to cultivate paddy again on their lands. Concerned sources, however, sought government help to cope with the crisis.
Meanwhile, the agriculture department sources said, the government is trying to solve the crisis by giving different agro inputs free of cost to the farmers.
Sources said, due to the first phase flood in last July, crops on around 13,000 hectares were damaged which is worth about Tk 115 crore. More than 10,000 farmers were affected.
But, while trying to recoup the losses incurred in the first phase flood, the farmers were hit by the second phase flood when 64 unions of different upazilas in the district were affected.
After the first phase flood, many farmers planted T-Aman in the district. But the second phase flood damaged all claiming loss worth about Tk 300 crore and affecting around 24,000 farmers. Other than these farmers, around one lakh farmers were also directly or indirectly affected by the flood.
The agriculture officials said, demand letters seeking rehabilitation of the affected farmers were sent to the concerned higher authority.
Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Sirajganj said, a total of 64 unions under seven upazilas of the total nine upazilas were affected by the flood. The upazilas are: Sirajganj Sadar, Kazipur, Chouhali, Belkuchi, Shahzadpur, Tarash and Ullahpara.
Of the upazilas, Sirajganj Sadar, Kazipur, Chouhali, Belkuchi and Shahzadpur were mostly affected. In these upazilas, 23,900 hectares of croplands and 275 hectares of T-Aman lands were damaged. Of those, crops on 20,259 hectares of lands were totally damaged and those on 3,721 hectares were partially damaged. Of the damaged lands, 8,085 hectares of Broadcast Aman, 13,040 hectares of T-Aman, 235 hectares of Aush, and 835 hectares of vegetable lands were damaged.
Concerned sources apprehended that around 75,563 metric tons of crops would be less produced in the district this year.
On the other hand, under a special scheme of the DAE, each of 400 farmers would be given necessary paddy seedlings for cultivation on one bigha land and each of 120 farmers would be given five kg paddy seeds free of cost. Besides, the respective upazila DAEs have distributed vegetable seedlings to 35,000 farmers and this programme would continue, said sources at the district DAE.
Deputy Director of Sirajganj DAE Md Arshed Ali said, "Crops on around 23,900 hectares of lands were damaged by the flood. Of those, 20,259 hectares were totally damaged and 3,721 hectares were partially damaged."
He further said, "Many croplands with standing crops and vegetable lands were damaged by the flood. Now, it will take time to prepare seedbeds."
He added, "After assessing the damage, demand letters have been sent to the concerned higher authority. Besides, about Tk 3 crore incentives have also been allocated."
