Heavy rainfall takes toll on vegetable growers

The torrential rain that swept over the country last weekend inundated over 16,400 hectares of cropland, causing losses to many farmers, according to data from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

Of the inundated area, Aman paddy was being cultivated on roughly 15,000 hectares while maize and vegetables accounted for the rest, said a senior DAE official.

The official added that water levels began to recede yesterday so the extent of damage would not be high.

However, vegetable farmers were left fearing massive losses.

Abdur Razzak, a vegetable farmer in the Katabaria area of Shajahanpur upazila in Bogura, said the beans and gourds he had planted across 27 decimals of land at a cost of Tk 12,000 were dying after being submerged for the past four days.

"Now, all those crops are under water. I have lost my entire investment," the frustrated farmer said.

Apart from affecting food crops, the downpours that started in the second half of last week across the country caused three deaths, suspension of rail communications, waterlogging in cities and severe traffic jams in Dhaka.

Mymensingh city experienced 378 millimetres of rainfall in 24 hours preceding 6:00 am Friday, the second-highest recorded in the country since independence, data by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department showed.

The northern city of Rajshahi experienced the highest rainfall in a single day in 10 years -- 245.8mm in 24 hours till 1:00pm on Thursday.

And in the last 24-hours until 6:00 am yesterday, Sylhet saw 358 mm of rain and Dhaka 125 mm, data from Bangladesh Meteorological Department showed.

Bogura, one of the major vegetable-producing districts, recorded 176 mm rainfall from October 3 to October 6. That, alongside floodwater from the Bangali River, led to the inundation of nearly 1,000 hectares, affecting 12,896 farmers.

Of that, 100 hectares of vegetable fields have been inundated.

Mahidul Islam, a farmer in the Bijrul village under Nandigram upazila of Bogura, said 10 decimals of land where he had planted cabbage were submerged.

"The rain has not stopped yet. If this continues for two more days, these plants will die," the 40-year-old said.

The crops affected by heavy rainfall include late summer vegetables such as snake gourd, green chilli and seedbeds of winter vegetables.

Bangladesh produced 2.25 crore tonnes of vegetables in the fiscal year 2022-23, with winter vegetables accounting for over 60 percent of the total produce, data from the DAE showed.

Unfavourable weather has affected crop fields at a time when consumers are already facing increased prices of vegetables.

Food inflation stood at over 12 percent for the second consecutive month in September.

Yesterday in Dhaka, potatoes were selling for Tk 45-50 per kilogramme, which was 72 percent higher than the same day a year ago, according to data compiled by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

In Bogura, vegetable prices increased sharply, said Aminur Rahman, director of the growers' market at the Mohasthan Haat in Shibganj upazila, one of the major vegetable-producing hubs in the district.

A week ago, green chilli was priced between Tk 100-120 per kg on the wholesale market, but prices have now risen to over Tk 200 per kg.

Prices of brinjal, another popular vegetable, soared to Tk 1,800-2,000 per maund this week, up from Tk 800-1,000 per maund earlier.

Saidul Islam, a farmer in Dariagacha of Shajahanpur upazila, said: "A week ago, we sold big brinjals for Tk 1,000 per maund. Today, traders from Dhaka were buying the vegetable at Tk 2,200 per maund."

Contacted, Matlubar Rahman, deputy director of DAE Bogura, said the recent rain would not damage paddy crops.

"It can damage vegetables, especially chilli crops, which can't tolerate inundation," he added.