PROLONGED submersion of farmland because of extreme weather events such as intermittent rain and flooding is reported to have affected winter crop farming. This is concerning and warrants proper, timely attention of the government as this could create a high likelihood of poor crop outturn, which in turn would stand the government in a difficult position regarding food security unless it shores up issues. Flooding on two occasions in 2017 — flash flooding in March-April and regular flooding in August-September — coupled with heavy rainfall — 1,951mm recorded in just four days beginning on December 8, 2017 when the average normal rainfall in the month is 10mm — has delayed the winter crop cultivation time by at least half a month, as New Age reported on Tuesday, as the farmland remained under water till December. Such a situation has left the cultivation plan of the government much short of the target. Only 17 per cent of the land earmarked for mustard farming could be cultivated till December 27. About 15 per cent of the land earmarked for wheat could be cultivated as the land remained under water. Onions could be cultivated only on 35 per cent of the targeted land till December 27.
Cultivation of other winter crops is reported to have been in a similar situation. While almost all the crops could be cultivated on land much short, below a half in many cases, of the target, it is obvious that the outturn will accordingly be less. Besides, when crops are cultivated later than the usual time, it naturally yields low outturn. A case in example is wheat, which will have 44 kilograms less in outturn a hectare if it is cultivated later than December 5, which has been the case this season. The state of the affair is also corroborated by the sales of winter crop seeds. Sellers said that most of their seeds had remained unsold and they feared a huge loss. No government efforts could be noticed to drain out water that submerged farmland probably because of the lack of farsight of the government in seeing to the consequences. Many of the haor areas are still inundated. While cultivation target could not be met, farmland in cases has been left unattended. In the past year, soon after the flooding, the government had to import rice for the first time in six years to meet the shortage of rice.
Now is the time for the government learn from its past mistakes. The situation suggests that food prices, in the event of miserably poor outturn of winter crop, could go up again. And the government needs to have remedial plan ready at hand. Such a plan could combine early and speedy assessment of the situation, continual oversight of the cultivation process, affording farmers the required help, technical and financial, and decisions to import farm produces that could face supply shortage. Unless the government plans this and have it ready in advance, it might push people at large to the problems of non-availability of food soon.
