বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড
Agriculture.
Hundreds of thousands of farmers have left their lands, seriously disrupting farming operations in East Pakistan. This exodus of farmers has affected all border areas and even some internal areas, especially Khulna, Dinajpur, and. Rajshahi Districts.
A July 1971 USAID forecast on rice production for Fiscal Year 1972 is 9. 64 million tons 12 per cent below the record crop in FY 1970. Average grain production is 11 million tons per year. In addition an estimated 1.5 to 2 million tons should be imported to achieve 'normal" consumption levels. Because of the dislocation of the entire economy, production shortfall is expected to be 1.5 million tons, thus increasing the need for import to an estimated 3 million tons. The maximum import of food grains in any previous year was about 1.5 million tons in FY 1970.
It will take heroic, efforts to get that much moved through the system in FY 1972, considering the problems of transportation and distribution, but highest priority must be given to this task if severe food shortages are to be averted.
Special Report on the Situation on Bhola Island.
Subsequent to the above agricultural projection, two USAID representatives on July 24, reviewed agriculture and food distribution on Bhola Island. They found food distribution to be about half of the requirement but improving. They reported that prospects for rice production were better than expected because a large acreage (about 125,000 acres) of Aus rice had been planted and was now being harvested. The USAID representatives commented that although the food situation on Bhola appeared to be recovering from the effects of the November cyclone and March disturbances, it could not be assumed that the same conditions prevailed in other cyclone-affected areas. Bhola is more accessible in the monsoon season than other areas such as Manpura or other Islands.
Disaster Relief Coordinator.
