A hailstorm coupled with strong wind has damaged crops in four upazilas of Thakurgaon.
Crops in several unions of Ranisankail, Haripur, Baliadangi, and Pirganj upazilas were destroyed as hailstones weighing approximately 300-400gm fell in these areas on Sunday afternoon, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials said.
Ranisankail is the worst affected area among the four.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Sanjay Debnath said the hailstorm damaged houses, paddy fields, maize fields, mango and litchi orchards and other crops in different areas of the upazila including Nekmorod Bazar, Gandgram, Jaduar, Bhabanipur, Chandanchahat, Durlavpur, Parkunda and Faridpara Rator.
Now farmers are afraid that they might have to incur heavy loss.
Enamul Master, a farmer from Bhabanipur village in Ranisankail, said: “I planted maize, chilli and paddy on 30 bighas of land. Crops have been severely damaged due to the hailstorm which lasted for half an hour.”
Joynal Abedin, another farmer from Bachore Union of Ranisankail, said he had a mango orchard on one acre of land and paddy, maize and other crops were grown on about 10 bighas of land. “These crops have been severely damaged due to the hailstorm.”
Agriculture Officer Sanjay Debnath said: “It is not possible to say the exact amount of loss right now. The agricultural officers are working in the field to estimate the extent of loss.”
