2,34,925 farmers to be benefited
A farmer in Patuakhali shows peanut shoots ruined by Cyclone Mahasen.
The government has taken a Tk 25 crore programme to rehabilitate over 2 lakh farmers of Cyclone Mahasen-ravaged coastal districts of the country, said Agricultural Minister Matia Chowdhury.
Under the programme, the government will distribute seeds, fertilizer and cash money among the farmers of four districts, the minister told reporters during a press briefing at her secretariat office on Wednesday.
Crops on around 52,300 hector of agricultural lands in coastal districts–Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola and Barisal–were damaged when Mahasen made landfall on May 16.
A total of 2,34,925 affected farmers out of 3,29,150 will be provided with the assistance to revive the agricultural condition of the farmers, she said.
The programme has already begun with the distribution of seeds, the minister added.
According to the government’s estimate, under the initiative, the farmers will be able to cultivate Aman rice in 31,703 hector of lands which will produce additional 79,638 metric tones of rice. The market price of the additional rice will be Tk 223 crore.
Cyclone Mahasen damaged crops worth Tk 275 crore.
Aus seedlings, sesame seeds, green chilli, beans, peanuts, vegetables, sunflower and various other crops were damaged as croplands remained submerged due to heavy rains and water logging following the cyclone.
Source: The Daily Star
