Farmers in need of seeds, seedlings, fertilizers


BOGRA, Aug 15:—Aman seed-lings will reach the flood af­fected farmers in the northern re­gion after planting season.

According to the Agriculture Extension Department source in different districts of the northern region of the country about 90 per cent affected farmers will not get government help. Bogra is one of the worst affected districts and it represent Prime Minister's con­stituency. But only 57,000 out of one lakh affected farmers will get aman seedlings under the gov­ernment agricultural rehabilitation programme.

Refusing this information given by field agriculture officers the Deputy-Director of Bogra district agriculture department said that aman seedlings of local species called "Nabi" will be distributed among the farmers within September 15.

He informed that some 5,700 farmers of Bogra Sadar, Dhunat, Sariakandi, Sherpur, Sonatola and Mojhira upazilas will get 5-kg seeds each in the current month. As soon as seeds reached at the up­azila level then seeds will be used to prepare seedbeds.

The work of preparing seedbeds will be finished within August 20. Then seedlings will take more 25/26 days for plantation. After growing of seedlings it will be dis­tributed among farmers within September 30.

On the other hand farmers said that they had short time that is only 18 days to plant seedlings. So many affected farmers are not waiting for government help. They are buying seedlings at high price from several flood free areas and started planting seedlings.

Flood water has receded. The affected people of the district have started returning to their homes from different flood cen­tres.

Acute crisis of aman seedlings has been prevailing in these areas as all the seedbeds are damaged. Most of the farmers now in a fix whether they will be able to plant aman crops in time or not.

As a part of agriculture rehabili­tation tender for aman seeds has been received just on last Wednesday. The full season of aman seedlings planting is going on. Aman production will be hampered badly if farmers fail to plan seedlings in full season.

Seedbeds on 665 acres of land at Dhunut, Sariakandi, Sonatola, Gabtoli, Sherpur upazilas of the district have been damaged to­tally. As a result scarcity of aman seedlings is acute.

The farmers who have ability are not waiting for government seeds. They have started planting buying seedling from different flood free areas of west Bogra.

Chandpur

Our Chandpur Correspondent reports: The flood victims of Chandpur district are eagerly waiting for post-flood rehabilita­tion which has not yet been started except some relief distri­bution.

In spite o f improvement of flood situation, the miseries of the flood victims have not yet been reduced. For want of adequate reliefs and medicare the people particularly in the rural areas in­cluding the charlands are passing their days under great hardship.

About 16.40 lakh people under 87 unions were affected by the flood.

Crops on 68,000 acres of land have been damaged. About 3 lakh houses were damaged.

According to damaged list of the government, Chandpur stood third in the flood affected dis­tricts.

About a week has passed but no post-relief work has been started. However the government has al­lotted Taka 2 crore and fifty lakh as rehabilitation of agriculture sec­tor.

Seedbeds on 65,000 acres damages

According to Agriculture Exten-sion Department source—crops and seedbeds on about 65,000 acres have been damaged in the district. The fund allotted will be spent for seeds, fertilizers and other agricultural purposes.

In every union a seedbed mea­suring about a thousand will be prepared for producing aman seeds.

The seedlings produced in the seedbeds will be distributed free of cost among the marginal farm­ers.

Besides necessary seeds and fertilizers will be distributed among the farmers.

It is reported that the agricul­tural block supervisors are preparing the seedbeds in the ru­ral areas.

In the livestock sector 176 cat­tleheads died. The Livestock Department is preparing the dam­age list.

The flood caused heavy damage to roads of the district. About 4000 kilometre long roads have been damaged. About 20-kilome­tre long road between Chandpur and Comilla have been badly damaged.

The repair of the damaged roads have not yet started. The motor vehicles run on the dam­aged roads taking risk.

The flood damaged sugarcanes on about 1000 hectares in the dis­trict, according to the agriculture department source.

The sugarcanes are cultivated in Chandpur, Kachua, Matlab and Faridganj upazila. Due to stagnant water the sugarcanes are rotten.

According to upazila-live-stock office Kachua about 20 cattle­heads died.

Fortytwo poultry farmers were affected and about 1000 poultry birds died.

The total damage in livestock sector in Kachua is about Tk 75 lakh.

Natore

Our Natore Correspondent states: Thousands of farmer of the district are affected badly as they have lost their crops in the flood. Now they do not want relief ma­terials. They want seeds, fertilizers and aman seedlings.

Singra and Gurudaspur upazilas of the district have been badly af­fected by the flood. About 3 lakh people are still marooned.

Aman seedlings were damaged in every part of two upazilas. For this reason seeds are not available. Acute crisis of seedlings is going on.

According to a survey, aus paddy, T-aman, ropa aman and aman seedlings on 15,000 hectares have been damaged in district. The farmers have lost everything.

The farmers are going to the lo­cal agriculture offices for seeds and fertilizer. But seeds and fertil­izers distribution are not started as yet in Natore. The farmers expect immediate help in this regard.