Floods take toll on agriculture, livestock in Morang

Biratnagar, August 29

District Agriculture Development Office, Morang, stated that floods a fortnight ago caused loss of property worth Rs 580 million in the district.

Floods have mainly destroyed agriculture and livestock in the district.

Paddy, vegetables, jute, sugarcane, and banana farms, among other crops, planted in 3,458 hectare was completely destroyed. The destruction has ruined 7,950 farmers.

Senior Agriculture Development Officer Manoj Kumar Yadav said 400 tonnes grain stored in houses were damaged due to inundation. According to Yadav, flood waters destroyed summer paddy planted in 2,500 hectare land in Morang.

Similarly, floods destroyed vegetables worth around Rs 90 million planted in 3,107 hectare land.

The DADO stated that the flood had damaged vegetables in Dhanpalthan and Katahari rural municipalities where the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project had been implemented.

Floods also damaged fisheries worth Rs 130 million in the fish zone under the PM project. Fisheries were set up in 690 hectare land in Morang. Fisheries worth Rs 160 million were destroyed in floods in Morang.

Similarly, according to District Livestock Office Morang, floods caused a loss worth Rs 25 million on livestock, including cows, buffaloes, and goats.

District Livestock Office Chief Sushil Adhikari said that flood and inundation would reduce the production of milk, fruits and meat by 80 per cent in the district.