The nor'wester and accompanying heat wave that swept over the country on Sunday massively damaged Boro paddy in both plain and haor areas of at least seven districts in northeast and southern divisions, dampening hope for increased production of rice and decline in prices to ease pressure on low income people's budget.
This year, farmers cultivated Boro paddy on 48.83 lakh hectors of land, 3 per cent higher year-on-year, with agricultural officials expecting higher crop this harvesting season at a time when prices of the staple grain were higher.
In March, consumers in Dhaka had to count 27 per cent higher prices from that a year ago to buy one kilogramme of coarse rice at Tk 45, showed data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).