Staff Reporter :
Farmers are busy in the fields as Boro cultivation which is in the full swing in different parts of the country.
But harvesters of different districts have expressed concerns for the rising prices of fertilizers, pesticides, seeds along with lobour and irrigation cost.
A number of peasants said that their per bigha cost has increased by Tk 18,000 to Tk 19,000, which is much higher compared to last year cost which was barely Tk14,000 to Tk15,000.
Talking to a number of farmers in Bogura, Dinajpur, Jamalpur, Habiganj and Sylhet, they said that they are spending additional four to five thousands taka for cultivating per bigha Boro in comparison with the previous year.
The crisis of agriculture inputs along with the low prices of paddy in the market when harvest would incur loss, as apprehended by the farmers this year.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension, target for Boro cultivation has been set at 50.40 lakh hectares.
Shortage of agro labourers is another setback for the increase of labour cost this year.
Farmers said that usually a labour cost was around Tk 400 to Tk500 in Noakhali, but this time the cost has increased by Tk 800 to Tk1000.
Farmers said that the rising cost of Boro cultivation would not bring any sunshine in their live when the harvest would come.
Though the district administrations said that they have enough supply of fertilisers and there was no scope for the increase of it.
They would take action if they obtain any allegation of high cost of fertilisers.
Many farmers said that it would be difficult for the continuation of Boro cultivation if the cost continuously goes up.