The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE recent cyclone Reshmi damaged standing crops on about 2.6 lakh hectares of land in 30 districts, mainly in the coastal and south-western region of the country. According to a preliminary assessment of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the cyclone damaged Aman paddy, vegetables, chillies and other crops. Damages to Aman crop range from 10 to 35 percent from place to place. In some areas the damage of rice may reach as high as 50 percent. Most of the affected districts had been seriously ravaged by the tropical cyclone Sidr last year. Before the farmers could recuperate losses, they have been hit by another calamity.

The crop damages just before the harvest of Aman paddy have thrown the farmers into a very difficult situation. Many of the farmers will harvest little or no grains. The concerned agencies of the government must initiate agricultural rehabilitation programme for them in right earnest. The Ministry of Agriculture is going to start agricultural rehabilitation programme in areas severely hit by the recent floods in the first week of November. This programme should be extended to cover the cyclone-hit regions.

Farmers should get all the support and encouragement to make all-out preparation for growing an extra crop to overcome the stress. Extra crop production has become all the more imperative, as the government drive for food procurement reportedly did not meet the target. There is thus no strong buffer stock of foodgrains at the disposal of the government. Before the cultivation of the next major crop, the affected farmers shall have to be given all possible support for cultivation of short-duration crops. All preparations should be made from now onwards to help achieve a bumper production of the next Boro crop which is relatively free from the vagaries of nature.