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A week of continuous rain caused waterlogging in Chattogram as well as severe flooding in all of its upazilas save Fatikchhari, leaving approximately 50,000 hectares of agricultural land submerged and resulting in a staggering financial loss of Tk 311.08 crore.
According to sources at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Chattogram, four districts of the Chattogram agricultural region planted crops on a total of 1,89,100 hectares of land. However, since August 3, most of these lands have been submerged due to continuous rain, flooding and landslide.
Out of this, 30,266 hectares — which is 16 per cent of the total arable land — of Chattogram district was affected; 15,788 hectares or 5 per cent of the total land in Cox's Bazar district; 840 hectares or 10 per cent in Feni district; and 3,520 hectares or 7 per cent in Lakshmipur district.
Some 1,91,797 farmers lost 1,12,287 tonnes of crops in these four districts, said the DAE sources.
Around 48,779 hectares of arable land was being used for rice cultivation in the Aush season in Chattogram. Out of which, 7,898 hectares were flooded and among that, 2,939 hectares of crops were completely damaged and 4,959 hectares partially damaged.
Some 15,308 tonnes of Aush paddy worth over Tk 30.58 crore were damaged. A total of 18,265 farmers suffered the brunt of this.
Regarding the situation, DAE Chattogram Additional Director Aurabindu Kumar Ray told The Business Post, "We determined the amount of arable land that had been inundated at first. However, we could not determine the exact damage amount caused by the waterlogging at the beginning.
“Now that the water has receded, we have assessed the damage’s extent and we will now start our post-flood activities.”
Meanwhile, transplanted Aman paddy was planted on 1,14,979 hectares of land. Of that, 2,09,193 hectares were submerged, with 4,803 hectares of crops being completely damaged and 24,390 hectares partially damaged.
More than 48,000 farmers lost 26,500 tonnes of T Aman paddy, suffering a financial loss of over Tk 81.21 crore.
Some 6,468 hectares out of 15,525 hectares of Aman paddy seedbeds were inundated, with 2,402 hectares completely damaged and more than 4,000 hectares partially damaged. The financial loss amounted to upwards of Tk 16.78 crore.
Moreover, summer vegetables were cultivated on 920 hectares, of which, 575 hectares went underwater following incessant rain. The total lost production is 3,336 tonnes of crop worth about Tk 13.17 crore.
Autumn vegetables were cultivated on 8,897 hectares of land in the region and 6,270 hectares were affected by rain and floods. The total amount of damaged crops was 67,142 tonnes worth around Tk 169.30 crore.
