Floods cause loss of Taka 2,327cr in fisheries, livestock sector

Country’s fisheries and livestock sector was badly affected by the floods in August as the accumulated loss of the sector stood at Taka 2,327 crore.

“The devastating floods during the month of August caused a huge loss in agriculture and also in the fisheries and livestock across the country . . .  the loss in fisheries sector was Taka 1,899 crore while it was Taka 428 crore in the livestock sector,” said fisheries and livestock adviser Farida Akhter.

The fisheries and livestock adviser said this while revealing the success in the first 100 days of the present interim government at a press conference at his the ministry.

In fisheries sector, the adviser said the devastating floods caused damage a total of 1,97,166 ponds and hatcheries along with 1,07,517 metric tons of fishes and shrimp and 44 crore fish-fries in 88 upazilas under13 districts across the country. 

In livestock sector, the estimated accumulated loss was Taka 428 crore where 2.60 lakh cattle heads, 8,000 buffaloes, 93,000 goats, 10,000 sheep, 34.21 lakh poultry, 4.60 lakh duck have died in the floods.

Moreover, the floods also caused death of   39,000 cattle, 16,000 goats, 21 lakh poultry flocks, 2 lakh duck, the adviser told the press briefing.

Even the floods also affected nearly 7,82,000 families of farmers across the country, said a ministry release.

Under the flood rehabilitation programme, Farida Akhter said the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) has distributed 220 metric tons of cereal animal feed, 75 MT straw, 357 MT silage and 60,000 grass cutters while the distribution of animal feed among 12,000 farmers by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) remains under way.

Even the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has distributed Taka 35 lakh among the farmers of the flood affected areas for purchasing animal feed. The FAO has taken a programme to give 75 kg cattle feed to each of 8,233 small farmers.

The government has also distributed fish fries among the fisheries farmers at cheaper rates from the government fish production hatcheries.

Under the programme, a total of 51 tons of fish fries at a cost of over Taka 2 crore have been released in the ponds of 8488 beneficiary fish farmers at 88 upazials under 12 districts.

The state owned Krishi Bank and other non-government micro credit distribution agencies have been requested to distribute credits among the affected fish farmers under easy terms and conditions.

Additional fisheries and livestock secretary ATM Mostafa Kamal, additional secretary Syeda Nawara Jahan, Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) Chairman Suraiya Akhter Jahan, Department of Livestock Services (DLS) Director General Dr Mohammad Reazul Huq, Additional Director General of the Department of Fisheries (DoF) Dr M Abdur Rauf and other section officials among others attended the press briefing.