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Flood factor imperils food output target

Rejaul Karim Byron
The government has fixed an ambitious target of food grain production for the current fiscal year 2008-09 with a 24 percent rise in total output although the target may be missed if the current flood situation deteriorates.
According to food ministry sources, the government has fixed 41 percent increase in Aman output for the current fiscal year to achieve the food grain production.
Monitoring the prices and production of rice on global and local markets, the Fortnightly Foodgrain Outlook of the food ministry in its August issue forecast that food grain prices would come down steadily both globally and locally.
But ministry sources and local traders yesterday said food grain production and the rice price situation in the coming months would depend on occurrence of any natural calamity and its impact on local rice production.
In this fiscal year, the government targets producing 3.66 crore tonnes food grain while the target in FY2007-08 was 2.97 tonnes, according to a food ministry report.
This year the target for Aus production is 23.69 lakh tonnes; in the previous season, it was 15.1 lakh tonnes. The ministry sources, however, said they have not yet fully estimated the total Aus output but they expect it to be close to the target.
On the other hand, the target for Aman in FY2008-09 has been set at 1.36 crore tonnes. The target was 1.30 crore tonnes in the last fiscal year but only 96.62 lakh tonnes Our Kurigram correspondent reports: A total of 500 villages in nine upazilas have been inundated and about four lakh people have been marooned, the district flood control cell sources said.
T Aman and vegetables on 44,143 hectares of land have been damaged, local agriculture office said.
About 119 educational institutions remain closed in the district due to the flood, district primary education office sources said.
Our staff correspondent from Bogra adds: About 12,000 people were marooned at Chandanaish union of Shariakandi upazila as an embankment on the Jamuna river was breached by floodwater.
The Chandaish UP chairman said although about 335 families were given shelter in seven shelter centres, 400 families are living under the open sky on roads and embankments.
Our Tangail correspondent reports: Over a lakh people in Bhuapur, Kaliliati, Nagarpur, Basail and Dclduar were marooned following an increase in the water level of the Jamuna and Dhaleswan rivers.
Vehicular movement on Tangail-Aricha road through Elasin Ferry Ghat remained stalled as the ferry service has been suspended for the last three days due to floods.
Our Moulvibazar correspondent reports: Water levels of rivers and haors are increasing in the district due to continuous downpour. Water levels of the Monu, Dholai, Gopla, Fanai, and Juri rivers are rising sharply.
About 15,000 people in Bhukshimul, Joychandi, Jayfamagar. West Juri, Dakshinbhag, Sujanagar, Bhatera, and Baramchal unions have been marooned.
CORRECTION:
In the news item headlined "Thousands marooned as flood grips north" published in The Daily Star on August 31, it was mentioned that Teesta Barrage was damaged. Actually, a portion of the flood dyke of the barrage was damaged.