Erratic monsoon threatens Bangladesh rice crop

DHAKA, July 21 (Reuters) Monsoon rains, which started in Bangladesh at least 10 days earlier than usual in June, triggered temporary flooding in the north and southeast, killing up to 30 people and driving thousands from their homes.

But the monsoon has since largely disappeared in most of Bangladesh, an agrarian country of 140 million people, delaying sowing of rice -- the country's main staple, officials said on Friday.

Fields inundated temporarily at the onset of the four-month monsoon season to September, have resurfaced while rivers and canals also dropped their levels.

The situation is particularly bad in the the country's vast northern region, weather and agriculture officials said. So far in July only 25 mm (one inch) of rain fell over the region against 500 mm required to ensure a good crop and optimum harvest.

''We are worried over the very poor rainfall which is going to affect rice cultivation in the north,'' said an official in Rangpur district, 330 km (200 miles) north of the capital Dhaka.

Rainfall was scanty over rest of the country as the ''monsoon showers had largely moved from Bangladesh to eastern India and further away,'' a weather official said.

Bangladesh produces more than 26 million tonnes of rice annually and imports around half a million tonnes of wheat to meet emergencies.

The government would soon issue an international tender to buy 300,000 tonnes of wheat for delivery by September to distribute among the rural poor, officials said.

The situation would worsen further unless there was sufficient rain over the next few weeks to allow cultivation of rice, agriculture officials said.

They said in some places farmers were facing difficulty in harvesting jute for lack of water.

Usually, they put the jute plants under water for rotting before they take out the fibres, then dry and sell them.

Jute is Bangladesh's fouth biggest export after garments, tea and frozen foods.

Jute goods exports rose 18.7 percent to 2.99 million in July-May, Export Promotion Bureau officials said.

REUTERS SBA ND1848