Floods, landslides cause Rs. 6 billion worth of damage in ago sector

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 8: Excessive and heavy rains from September 27-29 caused a severe damage in agricultural crops and livestock across the country.

According to the latest report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, floods and inundation after incessant rains have caused damage to the tune of more than Rs. 6 billion in the agricultural and livestock sector.

The flood has completely damaged paddy planted in 58,476 hectares of land in more than 20 districts. This year, paddy was planted in around 1.37 million hectares of 1.39 million hectares of paddy field.

Farmers have suffered losses in rice worth Rs. 3.5 billion as the floods damaged paddy crops. 

It has been estimated that the national production of rice will be affected after the flood caused more damage this year, said Hari Bahadur K.C., spokesperson at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.

“Flood has caused damage of around 4.26 per cent of the total paddy cultivated field. This damage is comparatively high. So, it directly hits production," he said.

It seems that the rice production will be reduced at least by about 230,000 tonnes due to the damage to the rice fields in an area of 58,476 hectares. Productivity per hectare is about 3.9 tonnes.

He said that due to the damage caused by flood in all the eight districts of Madhes, which produces the most rice, there is a big concern in the production. 

According to the ministry, there has been a lot of damage to paddy crops planted in Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Nawalpur, Baglung, Khotang, Jhapa, Kailali, Lamjung, Parbat, Kaski, Syangja, Sindhuli, Makwanpur and Kavrepalanchowk.

Similarly, more than 26,000 livestock were killed by the landslides and floods in 17 districts, including Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Panchthar, Ilam, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Dolakha and Lalitpur districts.

According to the ministry, around 24 sheds in Panchthar, Terhathum and Dhankuta collapsed from the landslides and floods.

Flood has damaged fishery pound in 458 hectares of land in Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa. It is estimated a loss of Rs. 1.13 billion has been incurred in fishery in these six districts.

The landslides have caused damaged in 1,300 hectares of cardamom farming. It has been estimated a loss of Rs. 700 million in cardamom cultivation.

Similarly, floods have damaged 22 hectares of fruits in Kaski, Nawalparasi East, Kanchanpur and Rautahat and 85 hectares of sugarcane fields. 

According to the ministry, the vegetables planted in 4,743 hectares of land in Khotang, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Bara and Parsa were completely damaged by the floods and landslides.

Spokesperson K.C. said that the Ministry has been holding discussions with the concerned bodies of Provincial and Local levels to collect data of actual losses and provide support to the farmers who suffered huge losses in agriculture and livestock.