The August floods had a significant impact on the nation’s cattle and fisheries industries, with a total loss of 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.
At a news conference held at his ministry, the fisheries and livestock adviser made this statement while outlining the accomplishments of the current interim government’s first 100 days.
The adviser stated that the severe floods in the country’s fisheries industry damaged 1,97,166 ponds and hatcheries, 1,07,517 metric tonnes of fish and shrimp, and 44 crore fish fries in 88 upazilas under 13 districts.
2.60 lakh cattle heads, 8,000 buffaloes, 93,000 goats, 10,000 sheep, 34.21 lakh poultry, and 4.60 lakh ducks perished in the floods, resulting in an estimated total loss of Taka 428 ,000,000 in the livestock sector.
Additionally, the adviser informed the press briefing that 39,000 livestock, 16,000 goats, 21 lakh poultry flocks, and 2 lakh ducks have perished as a result of the floods.
According to a government release, the floods also impacted around 7,82,000 farming families nationwide.
According to Farida Akhter, the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) has distributed 220 metric tonnes of cereal animal feed, 75 MT of straw, 357 MT of silage, and 60,000 grass cutters as part of the flood rehabilitation program. Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is still in the process of distributing animal feed to 12,000 farmers.
Farmers in flood-affected areas have even received Taka 35 lakh from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief to buy animal feed. 8,233 small farmers will each get 75 kg of cow feed as part of a scheme implemented by the FAO.
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.
