‘Dana’ ravages crops across S Bengal, sparks fears of soaring veggie prices

Kolkata: The cyclonic storm ‘Dana’ not only triggered waterlogging and inundation but also the loss of standing crops and vegetables over hundreds of acres of land in several districts of south Bengal. Crops and vegetables have been damaged in Howrah, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, South 24-Parganas and Nadia districts. State Agriculture department is apprehending a major negative impact on the production of Kharif crops amid the ongoing harvesting season. As per initial estimates, there will be maximum impact in the two coastal districts of East Midnapore and South 24-Parganas, as well as in the West Midnapore and North 24-Parganas districts. The maximum impact will be on the production of paddy as well as vegetables. As continuous rainfall triggered water-logging in several parts of south Bengal on Thursday and Friday, there is a high possibility of the farm products being destroyed on the farmland. Apprehensions of skyrocketing vegetable prices haunt people as large tracts of brinjal, pointed gourd, spinach and betel leaves apart from paddy have been damaged in Nadia and South 24-Parganas.

Vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, flat beans, tomatoes, broccoli, capsicum, French beans, okra, and eggplants were badly affected. Due to heavy rainfall and the recent flood-like situation in several South Bengal districts, vegetable cultivation was affected. The cyclonic storm ‘Dana’ has added to the woes of people. Inundated fields have damaged paddy crops — ‘Aman’ and ‘Aus’ before their winter harvest. These two varieties of rice contribute to around 45 per cent of the total paddy produced in Bengal. Floriculturists in Bagnan and Deulti of Howrah have been affected ahead of Kali Puja and Diwali.