Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque on Sunday said some 1 lakh metric tons (MT) of crops were damaged in rat attacks in 2018.
He revealed the information while responding to a tabled question from ruling Awami League MP Habiba Rahman Khan (Women Seat-17) in Parliament.
The minister said the amount of crops damaged in rat attacks in 2017 was 90,385 MT while 88,844 MT in 2016, 94,388 MT in 2015 and 96,696 MT in 2014.
“Each year, 5-7 percent of Aman paddy, 4-12 percent of wheat, 5-7 percent of potato and 6-9 percent of pineapple get damaged in rat attacks,” he told the House.
Abdur Razzaque also said rats eat away 5-7 percent crops in field and 3-5 percent crops in warehouses each year.
He informed the House about government’s various measures taken to save crops from rate attacks through eliminating them.