Flood damages agriculture sector worth Tk227cr in Lakshmipur

Crops worth an estimated Tk227 crore have been damaged in the recent flash flood in Lakshmipur district. Around 1,57,209 farmers faced the damage.

Aush paddy, Aman seedbed, sapling of Aman and vegetable fields have suffered the damage most. Betel nut, sugarcane, turmeric, ginger and various fruit trees were also damaged in the flood, according to the district agriculture extension decorate.

Department of Agricultural Extension sources, said 3,607 hectares of Aman seedbeds were prepared in Lakshmipur in the current season. 2,536.80 hectares of seedbeds have been destroyed due to floods, inundation and tidal water. 63,420 farmers have suffered a loss of Tk 29.26 crore.

Saplings of Ropa Aman have been planted in 14,394 hectares of lands. Of them, 7,610.70 hectares of land has been destroyed by water, which is 53 percent of the total cultivated land. As a result, 31,706 farmers have suffered a loss of Tk 85.62 crore.

Similarly, Aush paddy of 4,70.50 hectares of land of 24,423 farmers has been destroyed. 9,720 farmers have suffered a loss of Tk 1.2 crore in Bona Aman.

District agriculture department’s deputy director Sohel Md Shamsuddin Feroz said the crop lands in Lakshmipur have become waterlogged due to floods, waterlogging caused by rainfall and landslides. Farmers' seedbeds, saplings, betel nut, vegetable and fruit trees were destroyed. The financial value of these is about Tk 227 crore.

The authorities have given instructions to provide incentives among the farmers quickly. We have already distributed Aman rice seeds and fertilizers to 6,000 farmers. Tk1,000 has been given to each of the farmers as assistance.