Prolonged flood to further hike vegetable prices

The lengthy spell of flood have severely been affecting early winter crop farming in many districts triggering fear of further hike in prices of vegetables including onions, said insiders.

Although river water started receding from 37 flood-hit districts, much of crop lands are still below waist-deep water, said officials.

Parts in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Pabna, Natore, Sirajganj, Manikganj, Rajbari, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Dhaka districts still have flood water, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

DAE data showed a total of 260,000 hectares of land have been damaged totally by the more than two-month long flood from June 26 to August 31.

Nearly 40,000 hectares of summer vegetables worth Tk 2.45 billion have been destroyed by the flood this year, said DAE.

Md  Golam Maowla, an official at Agri Information Service (AIS),  told the FE that farmers in flood affected districts neither could grow Aman rice nor could cultivate winter vegetables due to water logging.

He said farmers in Bogura, Pabna, Natore, Sirajganj,  Tangail, Manikganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Munshiganj and Dhaka districts sow seeds of early winter vegetables and onion from the last week of August to get the crops from mid-October to November.

But more than 82,000 hectares of lands are still under water in those districts where the delay might cause a decline in production.

He said farmers usually cultivate early varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, red-amaranth, radish, carrot, cucumber, potato, seed onion prices (murikata) and other crops.

The early crops of October- November help make balance in other vegetable prices including onion prices, he said.

However, the DAE has a target to bring 580,000 hectares of land under vegetable farming this Rabi season (winter) to grow around 12 million tonnes across the country.

The flood has been affecting both farmers and consumers, as crop loss has sent the vegetable prices soaring owing to reduced supply in the market.

Vegetable prices have risen by 60-80 per cent in last two weeks.

Green chilli prices hit Tk 250-300 per kg last week, witnessing a 180-200 per cent hike in last two and half months, according to the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM).

Potato prices further rose to Tk 38-42 a kg from Tk 34-36 a kg.

Onion prices witnessed a 60-74 per cent hike in last two weeks.

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