ZCZC
BSS-07
FLOOD-CROP-LOSS
DAE expects desirable paddy output despite flood
DHAKA, July 22, 2020 (BSS) – Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) expected desirable aus and aman paddy output due to ongoing downpour and timely initiative by the government despite standing crops on over 82,000 hectares of land across the country went under water.
“We are expecting desirable aus and aman paddy output as the ongoing downpour is favourable for cultivation of these two crops,” said DAE Director General (DG) Md Abdul Muyeed.
He said the early flood is not as much as harmful for the crop, but the late flood during the month of July and August can cause a huge loss particularly to aman crop.
To minimize loss of aman crop, the DAE chief said “We will motivate the farmers to cultivate alternative crops like pulses for recouping the loss.”
DAE official statistics today said almost thirteen types of crops including aman seed bed and different kind of summer vegetables on 82,833 hectares of land in 26 districts have already been inundated.
It said aus paddy on 23,489 hectares, broadcast aman paddy on 24,591 hectares, transplant aman paddy on 1336 hectares, aman seed bed on 5014 hectares, summer vegetable on nearly 3500 hectares, sesame on 1814 hectares, jute on 22,156 hectares and sugarcane on 454 hectares in these districts have been flooded.
The estimation of the loss was prepared based on information from July 11 to July 19.
Soon after, DAE completed the primary estimation, the floods, resulting from heavy rainfall and onrush of water from upstream, started submerging the localities and farmlands in the northern and central regions.
In the first spell of flood occurred during the period of June 25 to July 9, the DAE estimated that the country witnessed the crop loss worth of nearly Taka 350 crore as the flood submerged the standing crops on 42,000 hectares of land in 14 districts.
However, the ministry increased the aus paddy planting target by 17 per cent from the previous year.
The acreage of aus, which is harvested in July and August, crossed the target and stood at 13.36 lakh hectares, highest in two decades.
The ministry earlier raised the rice production target by 20 per cent to 36 lakh tonnes during the aus season and targeted to increase the cultivation and yields during the current aman rice season by encouraging farmers to grow newly developed improved varieties of rice.
Farmers plant the crop during the rainy season and harvest in November and December. The agriculture ministry reduced the prices of seeds.
As the floods continue to inundate, the DAE is preparing to provide rehabilitation support for the farmers.
“We will begin rehabilitation activities after the water recedes,” said the DAE DG.
A three-pronged strategy has been taken to support growers, he said, adding that agricultural workers would encourage farmers to plant vegetables like bottle gourd in moveable bags.
To provide aman seedlings for farmers, the DAE took a Tk 2.14-crore project to develop community seedbeds on 527 acres, he said.
The project will support 35,000 farmers to grow rice on 527 acres of land and more than 1,250 farmers to grow seedlings on floating seedbeds, he added.
The DAE will pilot a scheme of developing seedbeds in trays to distribute seedlings among 1,600 growers, he continued.
The DAE DG also said seedlings of late varieties of aman rice such as BR-22 and BR-23 would be prepared to help farmers make up their losses caused by the floods.
The government aims to bring 58.95 lakh hectares of land under aman cultivation this year to produce 1.53 crore tonnes of rice.
BSS/SPL/OG/GMR/1400 hrs