Varieties of crops and vegetables on 4,065 hectares of land have been damaged badly in untimely flash flood in Pabna district. Specially, there was severe damage of rice, Maskalai(Pulse), banana and newly planted, advanced variety of winter vegetables in three upazilas of the district. Though the water of the river Padma has been decreased, crops of vast tract of land are still sub-merged under water. According to a estimate of the Department of Agriculture, the total amount of damage of crops and vegetables in the recent flood would be at least of Taka 80 million.
According to sources of the Department of Agriculture in Pabna, there was no severe flood like the recent flood after 1998. There having no precautionary measure for flood, farmers of Pabna sadar, Ishurdi and Sujanagar upazilas were the hard-hit by the flood. Crops and vegetables including rice, onion, banana, maskalai, papiya, carrot, radish, pepper, and brinjal were inaundated in flood water.
According to sources of Agriculture Department so far Banana of 1,215 hectares, winter vegetables of 1,250 hectares, Maskalai of 1,500 hectares and Aman Paddy of 100 hectares have been inaudated and damaged in flood water. The newly transplanted onion at the char land of Sujanangar upazila has also been damaged in flood water. The char lands still being under water, farmers of the upazila were not being able to transplant onion freshly in their fields.
Monirul Islam, a farmer of Satbaria village of Sujanagar informed, the staple crop of the upazila is onion but due to flood, newly transplanted onion seeds have been damaged and the farmers can not transplant those afresh because of standing water in the field.
Ansar Ali of Char Kuralia village under Ishurdi upazila informed, he planted carrot, bean and coriander leaves by borrowing money. But, all his crops have been inaundated in floood.
Azahar Ali, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension department of Pabna informed, the damage of crops and vegetables was in large extent due to untimely flood. But, the farmers would be able to recoup the loss by planting winter vegetables like Cauliflower, Cababge and Tomato soon after the water is removed from the field. The concerned departments have been instructed to all seed dealers and concerned authorities to supply seeds of the winter vegetables at a low price to the farmers.
Kabir Mahmad, Deputy Commissioner of Pabna informed, so far there was no instruction of government grants but the list of affected farmers is being prepared so that they can get any government incentives or financial assistance. The report of overall flood damage has been sent to the concerned ministry and the affected farmers will be given all possible assistance from the government.
