Vegetable fields submerged in flash floods farmers in distress in Pabna
Mamun Hossain, Pabna
The rising water level of the Padma River in Pabna has submerged crops in vast areas of three upazilas. 1,500 bighas of vegetable and artichoke fields have been destroyed. Along with the massive crop loss, there has been a severe shortage of cow fodder. Meanwhile, vegetable prices are also increasing due to reduced supply in the market.
It has been learned that the water of the Padma is reaching the danger level at Hardinge Bridge Point in Pabna. The people on the banks of the river are getting worried due to the strong water flow coming from the upstream. According to the Water Development Board, the water level in the Padma has increased by 10 to 15 centimeters every day in the last few days. If the water level increases a little more, the danger will pass. As a result, Charatarapur, Bhandara, Dogachi, Hemayetpur, Gayeshpur, Dapunia, Ataikula in Sadar Upazila of the district, Bhaina in Sujanagar, Satbaria and Laxmikunda in Ishwardi Upazila and other low-lying areas of the Padma and other areas have been submerged in flood water. Various vegetables including chilli, banana, pumpkin, gourd, chichinga, jhing, dhundal, bitter gourd, sweet pumpkin and radish were cultivated in these lands. Due to the continuous rise of the Padma River over the past week, these lands have been submerged in water in 3-4 days. As a result, the supply of these vegetables in the market has decreased. As a result, the prices of most vegetables have almost doubled in the past week.
On-site visits to some areas including Bhagirathpur, Char Pratappur, Shanikdiar and Lakshmikunda of Ishwardi in Hemayetpur Union of Pabna Sadar Upazila show that all the vegetables cultivated extensively in these areas, including the Padma char, are now under water. Farmers are trying to pick up vegetables including bitter gourd, pumpkin, gourd and dhundal for the last time by swimming in knee-deep water. The newly sown radishes have been hit by the flood before they can grow. As a result, farmers are also picking them up. The vegetable plants that have reached the water have already started dying. Most of the banana land in the Padma char is now under water. Farmers say they have not seen such water in the Padma in the last few years. Due to this abnormal increase in water, vegetables including rice, banana and chilli on thousands of bighas of their land have been destroyed. The pastures have been submerged, leading to a cow fodder crisis. They are afraid of getting into debt and sitting on the road.
In this regard, Sanaullah, a farmer from Char Pratappur village, said, "My 260 bighas of banana land in the Padma Char is now under water. In most of the land, the water has risen to the roots of the banana trees. I have cultivated various vegetables on 21 bighas of land. 12 bighas of land, including 5 bighas of radish, have been submerged in water. I bought the land with a loan of lakhs of taka, how will I repay this loan?"
Laxmikunda farmer Hossain Malitha said, "Of those who have 30 bighas of land under cultivation, 20 of them, and of those who have 20 bighas, 15 bighas of vegetable land are under water. I was hoping to make some profit by growing early-season vegetables. One bigha of radish cultivation costs 30-40 thousand taka, and the sale price is expected to be 70-80 thousand taka. The other 5 bighas of vegetables were expected to yield at least 50 lakh taka. But all of that is now under water."
Zafir Majhi of Bhagirathpur said, "I use three boats to ferry farmers across the Padma river. Through this ghat alone, hundreds of farmers from at least 20 villages used to ferry vegetables worth tens of lakhs of taka every day in my boat. In good seasons, I have even crossed vegetables worth 20 taka. But now, even vegetables worth 1 lakh taka are not being crossed. The market is getting less goods, and the prices will increase."
Some farmers, including Billar Pramanik of Shahdiar area in Dapunia Union and Shahin of Mandalpara, said that vegetables on hundreds of bighas of land have been submerged. Some trees are dying even if they are not submerged. We have suffered a big setback. How will we repay the loan for the damage that has been done is the concern now. Meanwhile, there are no vegetables in the market. That is why the prices are on the verge of doubling.
They said, we sell vegetables at Mandal More Market. Wholesalers come here from different places. According to the calculations here, a week ago, the price of a pumpkin was 18-25 taka. Now its price is 45-50 taka. Similarly, the prices of all vegetables have increased. A maund of bitter gourd worth 1500 taka is 3 thousand, a kg of jhinge worth 30 taka is 70 taka, a maund of radish worth 500-700 taka is 1200 taka, and the average price of sweet pumpkin worth 45-50 taka is now 100 taka. Although it is available more or less now, if the water level continues to rise like this, after 2-3 days, vegetables will no longer be available from these areas.
The district agriculture department says that 326 hectares of land in the district, including 3.5 hectares in Sujanagar upazila, 25 hectares in Ishwardi and 297.5 hectares in Sadar upazila, have been affected by the flood. Of this, 201.5 hectares of land has been affected by chillies, bananas and vegetables.
In this regard, Deputy Director of Pabna Agricultural Extension Department Md. Jahangir Alam Pramanik said, "If the water recedes quickly, a lot of land will be saved. Apart from this, we are making a list of the damaged and affected farmers. If necessary, they will be given incentives or assistance. And we are also keeping an eye on the fact that the impact of the flood does not fall excessively on the market."
