FENI, Nov 1: Flood-affected farmers in the district have started to turn around by cultivating vegetables.
The recent flooding in Feni District devastate agriculture sector, causing huge losses to growers.
At present, vegetable prices have been sky-rocketing in the district in the wake of the flooding.
Now after two months, the farmers have been in fields, with their last option of turning around with the winter vegetables. But they see very poor possibility of profits if the farming cost is higher.
Yet, the agricultural office said, they will be beside the farmers.
The flood damages ranged from villages to the town in the district. Now scars of damages are very visible.
According to field sources, in Parshuram, Sonagazi, Chhagalnaiya, Feni Sadar, and Dagonbhuiyan areas, farmers are passing busy time in carrying out their post-flood cropping including vegetable mostly. Yet, farmers are facing financial crisis.
Farmer Mafizur Rahman of Pachwim Darbarpur Village in Fulgazi Upazila said, "We are in concern about profits as prices of fertiliser, insecticide, and labour wage are higher. Yet, we are making our physical labour in fields."
A visit to different areas found busy cultivation of vegetables in Purba Darbarpur area.
Grower Nurul Afsar cultivated cucumber on 40 decimals of land in Purba Darbarpur area. His was waiting for selling his cucumbers. But the sudden flood destroyed his farm. His farm remained under water for 10 days. He suffered a loss of over Tk 2.5 lakh.
National Agriculture Medal winning farmer Azizul Haq of Bathania Village at Panchgachhia Union in Sadar Upazila said, "The agricultural farming cost has increased. The new government should see it. We need reducing prices of agriculture tools.
A housewife Achhmat Ara Shiri said, "This time vegetable price is beyond our purchasing capacity. In the last year this time, vegetable prices were cheaper."
Nurul Afsar has cultivated red spinach, radish, sweet pumpkin, bottle gourd and cucumber on 60 decimals of land. But he is uncertain of profit as all farming thing prices are higher. He is expecting assistance from the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).
A returnee immigrant of Munsirhat area at Fulgazi Haji Abu Taher said, rice swarming caterpillar has appeared in vegetable fields; these insects are devouring cabbage, cauliflower, radish and other vegetables.
"So, cultivation cost cannot be lifted, let alone profit," he added.
According to sources at the DAE, this season the vegetable farming has been targeted at 5,335 hectares (ha) in Feni; if all things including weather remain favourable, the target will be reached.
A total of Tk 1,21,24,400 have been granted as incentives in the district for seed, fertiliser, transport and other expenditure.
This included 49.30 metric tons (mt) seed worth Tk 73,76,400, 219.50 mt fertiliser worth Tk 40,76,000, and other expenditures of Tk 2,68,800.
Distribution of the inputs has been started.
Fulgazi Upazila Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Manoz Kanti Debnath said, men of the DAE are always beside farmers in fields.
"We hope farmers will be benefitted to recoup flood damages," he added.
In July and August months, three times of flooding damaged thousands of hectares of croplands, fish enclosures and farms in Feni.
Already food insecurity concern has appeared in six upazilas of the district of 928.34 square kilometres.
