The lengthy floods have severely been affecting early winter crop farming in many Bangladesh districts. This is causing fears of further hike in prices of vegetables including onions. Although the water has started receding in 37 flood-stricken districts, many crop lands are still under waist-deep water.
Parts of Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Pabna, Natore, Sirajganj, Manikganj, Rajbari, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Dhaka districts still have flood water, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE). DAE data showed a total of 260,000 hectares of land have been damaged totally by the more than two-month long flood from June 26 to August 31.
Nearly 40,000 hectares of summer vegetables worth Tk 2.45 billion (€2.45 mln) have been destroyed by the flood this year, said DAE.
Golam Maowla, an official at Agri Information Service (AIS), told that farmers in flood affected districts neither could grow Aman rice nor could cultivate winter vegetables due to water logging. Farmers in Bogura, Pabna, Natore, Sirajganj, Tangail, Manikganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Munshiganj and Dhaka districts sow seeds of early winter vegetables and onion from the last week of August to get the crops from mid-October to November.
But more than 82,000 hectares of lands are still under water in those districts where the delay might cause a decline in production. The flood has been affecting both farmers and consumers, as crop loss has sent the vegetable prices soaring owing to reduced supply in the market. Vegetable prices have risen by 60-80 percent in the last two weeks.
