Floods destroy Tk140.82cr in vegetables, prices jump Tk20-50 in Ctg markets
The sharp fall in supplies from flood-hit production areas has pushed up the prices of almost all vegetables, adding to the financial strain on middle- and low-income families
Highlights
- Floods destroy Tk140.82 crore vegetables
- 6,591 hectares vegetable fields damaged
- 63,875 vegetable farmers suffer losses
- Vegetable prices jump Tk20-50 per kg
Continuous heavy rainfall and the recent floods have destroyed summer vegetables worth Tk140.82 crore in Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, disrupting supplies and driving up retail prices by Tk20 to Tk50 per kilogram in Chattogram's kitchen markets.
The sharp fall in supplies from flood-hit production areas has pushed up the prices of almost all vegetables, adding to the financial strain on middle- and low-income families.
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6,591 hectares of vegetable fields damaged
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), floods between 6 and 18 July damaged 6,591 hectares of summer vegetable fields across the two districts. In Chattogram, crops on 5,907 hectares out of 17,828 hectares under cultivation were destroyed, while 684 hectares out of 2,720 hectares were damaged in Cox's Bazar. A total of 63,875 vegetable farmers suffered losses.
Traders said heavy rainfall devastated crops, sharply reducing supplies to wholesale markets. Higher wholesale prices have been passed on to consumers by retailers.
However, SM Nazer Hossain, vice-president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said vegetables sold in Chattogram are sourced from different parts of the country and northern Bangladesh has not been affected by floods.
He alleged that traders were using the floods as a pretext to increase prices, aided by weak market monitoring.
Vegetable prices rise sharply
Market visits found brinjal selling at Tk120 per kg, teasel gourd (kakrol) at Tk100-120, pointed gourd (potol) at Tk80, okra and ridge gourd at Tk100, snake gourd at Tk80-100, and cucumber at Tk120-130 per kg.
Bottle gourd, which sold for Tk60 a week ago, now costs Tk80-90 each. Tomatoes were selling at Tk120-140 per kg, carrots at Tk160, spiny gourd (kankrol) at Tk90-100, papaya at Tk50, and green chilli at Tk240 per kg.
Rahman Nasir, a resident of Muradpur, said flood-hit low-income families were bearing the brunt of the price surge. Zahidul Islam of Hamzar Bagh said no vegetables were available for less than Tk100 per kg, making daily grocery shopping increasingly difficult.
Abul Kashem, a vegetable trader at Kazir Dewri kitchen market, said floods had destroyed locally grown vegetables in several upazilas, including Banshkhali and Chandanaish, leading to supply shortages and higher prices.
150,080 growers suffer losses
The floods also caused extensive damage to paddy cultivation. Of the 33,473 hectares of Aus paddy cultivated in the two districts, 10,915 hectares were damaged, causing losses of Tk146 crore for 58,250 farmers.
Meanwhile, 1,401 hectares of Aman seedbeds out of 3,623 hectares were destroyed, causing losses of Tk6.47 crore for 21,935 farmers. Officials fear the widespread crop damage will have a severe impact on the agricultural sector.
According to the DAE, crops on 19,249 hectares across 28 upazilas were damaged, affecting 150,080 farmers. Total agricultural losses have been estimated at Tk309.17 crore.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, additional director of the Chattogram Regional Department of Agricultural Extension, said the damage assessment had been sent to the ministry seeking emergency financial assistance.
Some paddy seeds have already been received and will be distributed among affected farmers in phases, while approval for the remaining assistance is pending, he added.
