Flash floods in the greater Sylhet region have taken its toll on farmers and created a shortage of paddy for small to medium-sized rice mills. The Haor areas in northern Sylhet account for nearly 10% of the total cultivation area of about 4.8 million hectares this year and the flooding has adversely affected about 140,000 hectares. The mills usually stock up near the end of the season, which is not happening this season due to unexpected floods and only the big millers are well stocked with paddy. It all boils down to is a rise in retail prices of coarse rise in Dhaka by nearly 6.5% over a week and there is upward price rise of such rice in other parts of the country.