Govt assists flood-hit farmers in recouping crop losses

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BSS, Rangpurv :
High officials and agriculture experts have said the government has taken steps for providing assistance to the flood-hit small and marginal farmers in recouping crop losses incurred by them during the recent floods.
They were addressing a ceremony arranged by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) at Bozra union parishad premises under Ulipur upazila in Kurigram on Saturday for distribution of Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) seedling among flood-affected farmers.
Joint Secretary (Administration) of the Ministry of Agriculture Md Mosarraf Hossain attended the ceremony as the chief guest.
He also distributed 120 bundles of ‘Bolan’ variety T-Aman seedling, suitable for transplantation on 33 decimals of land right now, among each of the 100 flood-affected farmers of Bozra, Hatiya and Buraburi unions under Ulipur upazila.
Director General of the DAE Md Abbas Ali attended the ceremony as the special guest with Ulipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Dr Mohammad Munsur Alam Khan in the chair.
Acting Rangpur Regional Additional Director of the DAE Zulfiqar Haider, Acting Deputy Director of the DAE for Kurigram Dr Afsar Ali, Rangpur Regional Director of the Agriculture Information Service Abu Sayem, attended the ceremony.
Officials of the DAE and other agriculture related departments, Chairman of Bozra union parishad Alhaj Rezaul Karim, local public representatives, flood-affected farmers and elite were present.
In his welcome speech, Ulipur Upazila Agriculture Officer Ashok Kumar Roy said the land of the area is very fertile after being inundated by floodwater of the Teesta, Dharla and Brahmaputra every year bringing huge alluvial soil for centuries together.
The local DAE officials informed that standing crops on 33,000 hectares of land, including 8,000 hectares in Ulipur upazila alone, were submerged under floodwater recently in Kurigram district causing crop losses.
To recoup crop losses, the DAE has been distributing 120 bundles of the local ‘Bolan’ variety Aman seedling, adequate for transplanting on 33 decimals of land, among each of the flood-affected small and marginal farmers in the upazila, they said.
Director General of the DAE Abbas Ali suggested the flood-affected farmers for cultivating early varieties of winter vegetables, mustard and potato to recoup crop losses without affecting timely cultivation of Boro, wheat, maize and other crops on the same land.
The chief guest said the recent floods caused by the onrush of hilly water from the upstream had submerged and damaged standing crops on vast tracts of lands in 24 riverside districts in the country.
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