As many as 208,916 farmers suffered heavy losses in Barisal division due to Cyclone Midhili, which made landfall in the coastal districts on Friday (November 17).

A total of 19,655 hectares of crops were damaged in six districts, amounting to losses of around Tk182 crore.

Barguna, Bhola, and Patuakhali districts were the most affected by the cyclone, said Shawkat Osman, additional director of Barisal region of the Directorate of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

In the six districts, the area of cropland stands at 749,059 hectares, and 709,180 hectares of the land are under cultivation. The totality of the affected land was 216,366 hectares.

Up to 197,295 hectares of crops were damaged partially, and the crops on 14,465 hectares of land were completely damaged, which is 2.77% of the loss.

The loss of production stands at 51,073 tons.

Out of the total loss, 188,133 hectares of Ropa Aman were damaged.

Among those, 2,370 hectares of khesari dal and winter vegetable fields with paddy saplings, wheat, vegetables, mustard, chili, watermelons, papayas, and betel nuts have been completely damaged, and crop fields of 216,366 hectares have been affected, causing financial losses of Tk181.66 crore.

Abu Syed Md Zebaidul Alam, deputy director of Barguna DAE, said that out of 105,248.77 hectares of land, the crops of 46,226.77 hectares of land have been affected in Barguna.

A total of 38,575 farmers in this district have lost crops worth Tk33.59 crore.

Bhola DAE Deputy Director Hasan Warisul Kabir said that the crops of 47,426 farmers cultivating 49,328 hectares of land have been affected by the disaster.

But no crops were completely damaged. The amount of crop damage due to the cyclone is Tk80 crore.

According to Patuakhali DAE, 22,762 hectares of crops were affected by the disaster.

Vegetables of 200 hectares were completely destroyed, reports DAE.

Besides, 940 hectares of vegetable fields were affected. Apart from this, 18,822 hectares of Aman seedlings, 3,000 hectares of khesari, eight hectares of green chili, 18 hectares of mustard, and 100 hectares of watermelon had been affected.

In this district, 44,906 farmers have suffered losses of about Tk50 crore.

Barisal DAE Deputy Director Muradul Hasan said that out of 128,430 hectares of land, 24,228 hectares of crops have been affected.

Among which high-yielding Aman of 5,203 hectares, local varieties of 15,097 hectares, mustard of 216 hectares, khesari of 3,010 hectares, and vegetables of 3,475 hectares were damaged, affecting 29,447 farmers in the Barisal district.

The farmers in the district incurred a loss worth Tk18.46 crore.

Pirojpur DAE Deputy Director Muradul Hasan said that the crops of 61,220 hectares of land have been affected by Cyclone Midhili.

A total of 15,900 farmers in this district counted a loss of about Tk1 crore.

Jhalakathi DAE deputy director Monirul Islam said that 18.54% of Aman field, 42.8% of vegetables, 92.68% of khesari, 25% of mustard, 57.6% of papaya, and 14.4% of betel nut fields had been affected by the cyclone.

Of the total 51,583 hectares of land, 12,525 hectares of land have been affected by the disaster.

The amount of loss of 20,940 farmers is about Tk10 crore in this district.

Source - https://www.dhakatribune.com