Sylhet cultivators face acute shortage of T-Aman seedlings

Chairman of Sylhet Sadar Ashfaq Ahmed distributed T-Aman seedlings among 60 flood-hit farmers. — FE Photo

SYLHET, Sept 05: Farmers of the Sylhet division are facing acute shortage of T-Aman seedlings as floodwater washed away their seedlings they had planted before flood.
Crisis of seedling of T-Aman has been prevailing in different areas of Sylhet division, a good number of farmer informed yesterday. It has worried them as the farming season is at its ending stage when most of them had lost their crop, due to the floods this time.
The BADC stock is also exhausted as the season is at its close end.
Well-to-do farmer of village Baushi in Golapganj upazila Abdul Hasib said yesterday, "I had transplanted some 10 acres of land at the very beginning of the cropping season weeks ago. But, over seven acres had gone damaged by the floods. Now we are at the last time of farming, but it is not possible to manage required seedlings as most of the farmers are in the same problem."
Secretary of Turukbag Irrigation Project Committee in Golapganj upazila Ansar Ali said it is not possible to manage the required seedlings this time. "About 50 per cent of our village's Aman land would remain barren as we cannot replant seedlings this stage", he added.
Meanwhile, in a bid to help some poor farmers, Sylhet sadar upazila parishad yesterday arranged some seedlings for 60 farmers of 8 unions. Upazila chairman Ashfaque Ahmed handed over these to the farmers at the parishad complex in presence of officials including Deputy Director of BADC Supriyo Pal and upazila agriculture officer Kohinur Begum.
Deputy Director of DAE, Sylhet divisional office Dr, Mamun Ur Rashid, however, claimed about only 10,000 hectares were flooded, but with the flood water receded from areas, the farmers had managed replantation on the same lands. It would be completed in a week or two, he added.
Although the DAE had estimated the crop loss at Tk 350 million by floods this time. It would be at least double, a number of farmers alleged.
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