Photo : Collected
Severe flooding has occurred in 11 districts in the eastern part of the country due to water coming down from India. In these floods, poultry farmers in the Cumilla, Lakshmipur, Noakhali, and Feni districts have suffered losses exceeding Tk 800 crore. This information comes from a special report by the Bangladesh Poultry Association (BPA).
According to the organisation's report, at least 6,000 poultry farmers in these four districts have been completely devastated by the floods. They are unable to find any traces of their poultry farms or the chickens. Now, the farmers are living in a state of extreme helplessness.
Among these farmers, some had as many as 1,000 chickens in their sheds, while others had up to 5,000, 10,000, and even 25,000 chickens. All of these chickens have died in the floodwaters. Currently, 5,000 farmers still have waist-deep water in their sheds. In addition to the loss of chickens, the halt in new chicken production has raised concerns that the country's daily chicken production could decrease by at least 20 percent. As a result, chicken prices may rise again.
The country has a daily demand for 5,200 tonnes of broiler chicken, known as the 'poor man's beef'. Of this, 3,500 tonnes are for broiler chicken, and 1,700 tonnes are for layer and Sonali chickens. The affected region supplies 20 percent of this demand. Consequently, along with a potential increase in chicken meat prices, egg prices may also rise, according to the organisation's president, Md. Suman Hawlader.
He told The Daily Messenger, “90 percent of chickens come from 5 to 6 zones in the country. Of this, 20 percent come from 11 flood-affected districts, including Cumilla and Noakhali. Due to the floods, all the chickens from 6,000 farms in these areas have died. Additionally, the chicken sheds have been washed away.”
In this situation, the government should provide special incentives to farmers to re-establish chicken sheds as soon as the floodwaters recede. Raising and growing chicks is essential; otherwise, chicken meat prices will rise due to a shortage.
According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, at least 52 people have died in this flood as of yesterday. In addition to the floodwaters, heavy rainfall and hill slides from upstream have extensively damaged agriculture in 24 districts of the country.
Besides losses in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock sectors, these areas have also suffered damage to residential buildings, infrastructure, and businesses. Experts estimate that the minimum financial loss has exceeded Tk 20,000 crore.
They also informed that the extent of damage in non-agricultural sectors at the district level is significant. Small and micro businesses, as well as various sub-sectors of the rural economy, have been particularly affected by this flood. Furthermore, districts surrounding the affected areas have also experienced losses. The damage to residential buildings and infrastructure in these sectors has exceeded Tk 15,000 crore.
The losses in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock sectors have surpassed Tk 5,000 crore. In total, the country's financial loss due to the floods has so far exceeded at least Tk 20,000 crore.
Agricultural economist and director of the Dhaka School of Economics, Professor Jahangir Alam, said that almost all types of businesses and productive activities are closed in the flood-affected districts. These districts have become economically vulnerable due to the ongoing flood, which has persisted for a week. Rural economic activities, both agricultural and non-agricultural, have come to a halt. As a result, while the direct loss is more than Tk 20,000 crore, the actual loss will likely be much higher.
Messenger/Fameema
