Agriculture and home affairs adviser lieutenant general (retired) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Saturday said that there was sufficient stock of fertilisers in the country until December, and there would be no shortage.
Farmers would be able to purchase and use fertilisers according to their needs, the adviser said this while speaking as chief guest at a meeting held at the conference room of agriculture ministry.
Mentioning that the process of importing fertilisers was normal, he urged people not to purchase or store additional fertilisers out of fear of a potential future shortage.
The adviser also instructed authorities concerned to complete the rehabilitation of farmers affected by floods with transparency and speed.
Crops in 23 districts were damaged due to sudden floods starting on August 16. In these districts, 3,72,733 hectares of land were submerged. The affected agricultural land is 2,08,573 hectares.
The estimated loss in crop production is 7,14,514 metric tonnes worth approximately Tk 3,346 crore. The number of affected farmers is 1,414,089. In the 23 flood-affected districts, 14.58 per cent of the total cultivated crops were destroyed.
The amount of affected land in the seven worst flood-hit districts are Feni 35,673 hectares (80 per cent), Noakhali 38,456 hectares (37 per cent), Cumilla 49,608 hectares (36 per cent), Lakshmipur 15,626 hectares (33 per cent), Chattogram 23,992 hectares (16 per cent), Moulvibazar 15,222 hectares (12 per cent), and Brahmanbaria 8,326 hectares (35 per cent).
The meeting discussed the flood situation in various districts of the country, reviewed the rehabilitation measures taken for flood victims, and assessed the progress of implementation.
The meeting also exchanged views on the activities of the department of agricultural extension, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council.
Agriculture secretary Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mia, along with senior officials of the ministry and heads of various departments or agencies, were present.
