Farmers need agri-loan
Farmers are the worst sufferers in the month long flood in several districts from Jamalpur to Kurigram. Their corns and crops being washed away, it might have adverse impact on the food output. They now need agriculture loan before the village moneylenders and the NGOs open their purses for them (farmers) at high rate of interest.
Ropa Aman, Bona Aman, potato, soyabean, ginger, turmeric, green chilly, calery, basil, pumpkin, ash gourd, lady’s finger, bitter gourd, snake gourd, brinjal, cucumber, bean, lemon, pineapple, banana, papaw, steam and jute fields have been flooded. It means that the farmers may not get back their investment in full and may not be able to pay the installments of the agriculture loan to the banks or the NGOs or the village moneylenders.
But to ascertain the losses implies upon the Agriculture Extension Department. For this the officials should visit the flood affected districts and upazilas. It is not that all the crops of a submerged land have been destroyed because the inclement weather tolerant crops will survive at least to certain extent.
The affected farmers need the State support to plough the land again. They are not concerned with GDP, NDP, export and import, balance of trade and balance of payment. They want fertilisers, seeds and irrigation at sustainable price. We think that the government will stand by them.
Ameer Hamzah
Dhaka
