Farmers planting early winter vegetables to recoup losses

Farmers prepare a field at Chikashi village in Dhunat upazila under Bogra district for tomato cultivation as local farmers have started winter vegetable cultivation with a hope to recoup the losses caused by the recent floods in the area. PHOTO: STAR

Farmers in Dhunat upazila of the district are trying to recoup losses incurred in recent flood by cultivating early winter vegetables in their farmlands.

Upazila agriculture office sources said at least 46 thousand farmers were badly affected as their aus and aman crops and vegetables worth around Tk 36 crore got damaged by the recent flood.

T-aman on 9, 821 hectares of land, aus on 20 hectares of land, vegetables on 200 hectares of land, spices on 19 hectares of land, and jute on 7 hectares of land at 150 villages in 10 unions of the upazila were damaged, source added.

With recession of flood waters, the farmers in the upazila have started preparing their farmlands to cultivate winter vegetables. They are doing the job, taking   loans from non governmental organisations (NGOs) and local moneylenders.

Jafor Mondol of Chikashi village under Chikashi union said crops on his one and a half bighas of land were damaged by recent flood. Now he is cultivating vegetables on the same land to recoup the losses by taking loan from a moneylender.

Vegetable grower Fazar Ali of Bakshapara village under Goshaibari union said with the recession of flood water, he has prepared a seedbed in the home yard by taking loan from an NGO.

Contacted, Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO) of Dhunat upazila Jahangir Alam said they had sent a report to the higher authority and sought financial support for the flood affected farmers so that they could cultivate mustard, maize, wheat and  winter vegetable in their farmlands to recoup the losses.