Heavy Rains Devastate Faridpur Chilli Fields, Retail Prices Spike

Continuous heavy rains have decimated summer chilli crops across Faridpur, wiping out farmers' investments and driving retail prices up to Tk 320 per kilogram due to severe supply shortages.

In Madhukhali the district’s primary agricultural hub, once-thriving green chilli fields are now submerged. Waterlogging has caused plants to rot leaving thousands of farmers facing extreme financial losses. The damage is particularly severe in the Raipur Jahapur and Megchami unions.

Local farmers, including Roknuzzaman and Firoz Mia from Raipur, noted that the disaster compounds existing burdens from inflated fertilizer seed and pesticide costs. "All the plants have died and we are forced to uproot them," they shared. "Not even half our investment was recovered. We need government support to stand on our own again."

The District Agricultural Extension Department reports chilli was cultivated across 3,112 hectares in Faridpur—with Madhukhali accounting for 2,720 hectares. The district's production target of 5,706 metric tons is now highly uncertain.

Madhukhali Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Mahbub Elahi confirmed the massive crop failure. He stated that officials are actively compiling lists of affected farmers, with phased government compensation already underway for some.

Meanwhile the crop failure has hit consumers hard. Markets across Faridpur city, including Chawkbazar and Tepakhola are currently selling chillies between Tk 280 and Tk 320 per kg.

Advocate Manik Majumdar President of the Faridpur Krishak Samity warned that without immediate state intervention and rehabilitation farmers might abandon chilli cultivation entirely next season.