Over 2,000 hectares of Aman paddy destroyed in Jalpaiguri floods

Jalpaiguri: The recent floods have caused extensive damage to Jalpaiguri’s agricultural sector, submerging vast tracts of farmland across Maynaguri, Kranti, and Dhupguri blocks. Waterlogging and heavy silt deposits have destroyed standing crops, with nearly 2,000 hectares of Aman paddy completely ruined and early winter vegetables severely affected.

The resulting shortage has driven up vegetable prices across local markets, prompting the district administration to intervene.

In Maynaguri block, the worst-hit areas include Ramsai, Amguri, Churabhandar, Padmati, Dharmapur, and Barnish Gram Panchayats. Official estimates put the crop loss at around 600 hectares, though unofficial figures suggest it could be higher. Farmlands near the Jaldhaka River, particularly in Amguri and Churabhandar, were submerged as strong currents swept through, washing away paddy fields and depositing layers of debris. Apart from paddy, cauliflower, cabbage, radish, and pointed gourd crops were also damaged on a large scale. Maynaguri Block Agriculture Officer Kamalesh Barman said: “Through the Bangla Shasya Bima Yojana, we are organising camps in flood-affected areas so that affected farmers can receive compensation.”

In Dhupguri block, around 650 hectares of Aman paddy have been damaged along with major losses in bean cultivation. Floodwaters breached farmlands in the Gadhyarkuthi Gram Panchayat villages of Kurshamari, Bagaribari, and Bhandani. Beans had been cultivated over nearly 900 hectares, and officials have begun assessing the extent of the damage. The Agriculture department is emphasising insurance coverage under the crop protection scheme to help farmers recover.

Local farmer Suresh Roy said: “The bean trellises collapsed under the floodwaters. You can’t even tell where the plants were — everything’s gone. With our homes damaged and crops washed away, we don’t know how to recover.”

After waters receded, Principal Secretary (Agriculture) Omkar Singh Meena inspected flood-hit areas of Gadhyarkuthi Gram Panchayat on Monday, while the Horticulture department began assessing vegetable crop losses. In the Kranti block, government estimates suggest that about 350 hectares of farmland have been damaged, though unofficial reports place the figure much higher. Floodwaters inundated areas in Changmari, Rajadanga, Kranti, and Chapadanga, destroying radish, beans, brinjal, chili, and pointed gourd crops. The total loss has been pegged at nearly Rs 1.5 crore.

Kranti Panchayat Samiti president Panchanan Roy warned that the extensive crop loss could push vegetable prices higher in the coming weeks.

District Magistrate Shama Parveen said the survey of affected areas is ongoing .