South Asia and Australia Table of Contents

Selected Bangladesh Crops

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General: Agriculture is the main occupation of the people. The sector employs 61.3 per cent of the labour force (BBS, 1994) and contributes around 36 per cent to the GDP (BARC, 1995). The country's traditional agriculture has been highly diversified, with more than 160 crops grown throughout the year (Mondal, 1990). This is integrated with livestock, fisheries and homestead forestry components. Cropping intensity has now surpassed 170 per cent (BBS, 1994). However, with the increase in population and an intensive cultivation of cereal crops (HYV rice and wheat), cereal area increased at the expense of many other crops including jute, pulses and oil seeds. Recent trends in the cultivation of major crops are shown in Table 1.

...Crop Vulnerability: Bangladesh agriculture is overwhelmingly rain-fed and highly vulnerable to floods, droughts, cyclones, tidal waves as well as river bank erosion. For example, consecutive devastating floods of 1987 and 1988 destroyed the country's major crops (rice and jute); the drought of 1989 had a heavy toll on the country's agricultural production; the lack of rain in 1994 reduced the main rice crop (Aman rice) production by about 15 per cent. The Government now estimates that nearly one million tonnes of rice will need to be imported in 1995. Occurrences of insect and disease attacks are widespread, resulting in estimated crop losses ranging from 10-15 per cent every year... excerpts from: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND PROGRAMME FOR PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES, ICPPGR COUNTRY REPORT FOR BANGLADESH, APRIL 1995 BANGLADESH AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (BARC) DHAKA
http://web.icppgr.fao.org/cr/CR/BANG/c1.htm

Bangladesh Aus Rice

Bangladesh Aman Rice

Bangladesh Boro Rice

BG Rice is 75% irrigated.

Bangladesh Cotton

BG cotton notes: a prolonged monsoon could delay planting resulting in lower yields. 15 percent of the cotton area is fully irrigated, 70 percent is partially irrigated and 15 percent depends entirely on rainfall.

Bangladesh Wheat

BG wheat notes: Boro rice, pulses, oilseeds, tobacco, cotton, tuber crops, vegetables and spices are grown during the November - March period and, thus, represent potential competitors for wheat. The strongest competitor for wheat area has been boro rice. FAS BG 97/98 Wheat is harvested in spring 1998. Contrasted to INDIA 1998/99 wheat is harvested in spring 1998.

Bangladesh Rapeseed

Bangladesh Peanut

Bangladesh Jute

Disaster Relief Distributions
The quantity and distribution of relief items to 20,000 families (100,000 people) for 30 days will be as follows:
Rice: 1200 mt (400g per head/per day x 30 days x 5 persons x 20,000 families)
Dhal: 200 mt (67g per head/per day x 30 days x 5 persons x 20,000 families)
Edible Oil: 120 mt (40g per head/per day x 30 days x 5 persons x 20,000 families)
All items will be packed in packets for smooth and quick distribution, and BDRCS trucks along with hired trucks and riverine transports (CPP and hired boats) will be used for the transportation of relief goods.

In response to tidal surge combined with a fierce storm and heavy rains
caused flooding along the entire coastline of Bangladesh between
15 and 16 May 1995.

Areas affected: 75 thanas (local administrative areas)
People affected: 2,211,230
Affected families: 300,000
People injured: 70
People killed: 21
People missing: 9
Crops fully damaged: 125,000 acres
Crops partially damaged: 220,500 acres
Houses fully damaged: 44,187
Houses partially damaged: 97,099
Cattle killed: 8,953
Educational institutions damaged: 37
Embankments broken/breached: 87 km
Bridges and culverts damaged: 12

from: http://gopher.ifrc.org:70/0/sitreps/all/z0395.txt

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