The ongoing flood has submerged a vast area of paddy and vegetable fields in different flood-hit regions, mainly in the northern districts, affecting farmers.
Crops on 11,087 hectares land have been inundated in 19 upazilas of all five districts in Rangpur agriculture region in the second phase of flooding, according to the officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
Floodwaters submerged standing crops in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts, the officials said.
Standing Aman seedbeds on 914 hectares of land, T-Aman paddy on 719 hectares, Aus paddy on 3,234 hectares, vegetables on 233 hectares, maize on 70 hectares, green chili on 62 hectares, sesame on 40 hectares, groundnut on 10 hectares and jute on 5,805 hectares were damaged in these districts due to flooding.
“Earlier this month, floodwaters also submerged standing crops on 13,465 hectares of land, while damaged crops on 8,612 hectares of land,” DAE additional director for Rangpur region Muhammad Ali told BSS.
He said the flood caused a production loss of 32,664 tonnes crops worth Taka 104.83 crore, affecting 82,412 farmers in the agriculture region.
Ali said a portion of the submerged crops would recover from the stresses for remaining under floodwaters for three to four days, but a big portion of those might be damaged due to submergence for a longer period.
About 11,682 hectares of croplands have so far been inundated in different flood-hit districts under Rajshahi division, the DAE officials said.
Newly transplanted aus and aman paddy, aman seedbeds, direct seeded aman and vegetables were affected there due to flooding.
According to the DAE, 4,725 hectares of aus paddy, 2,700 hectares of direct seeded aman, 1,932 hectares of transplanted aman and 503 hectares of aman seedbeds were affected by the flooding Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore, Bogura and Sirajgonj districts.
“We have so far recorded standing crops on 7,542 hectares of land affected in Rajshahi, Naogaon and Natore districts,” said DAE additional director (Rajshahi) SudhendraNath Roy.
Crops and paddy seedbeds of 4,194 hectares of land were inundated in Naogaon district as embankments of Atrai River were collapsed at six points, said DAE deputy director Dr Rabiah Noor Ahmed.
In Sirajganj, standing crops on around 3,700 hectares were submerged affecting 28,712 farmers.
Besides, floodwater have inundated standing crops on 8,820 hectares of land in Jamalpur, said local DAE officials.