Despite bumper Boro yield, farmers unhappy with prices

Staff Reporter :
Boro paddy production is going to set a new record as Boro paddy was cultivated on five million hectares of land across the country this year while the production going to cross 22.5 million tonnes which up by 1 million tonnes than the target set by the government in the current boro season.

So far, farmers have harvested nearly 85 percent of the paddy from the haor areas and the overall harvest in the country stands at more than 40 percent.

Despite this bumper harvest, farmers worry over fair prices of paddy because it is seen that Seasonal Birridhan-29 paddy is selling at Tk 900-1050 per maund (40kg) in Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Pabna, Kushtia, haor and other regions now. Because of current low price range, farmers are left in the lurch where only millers and traders will take the monetary benefits, once again.

Apart from the low prices at local markets, lower incremental rate of government procurement of paddy at Tk30 and rice at Tk 44 per kilogram added extra headwinds on the farmers as production costs increasing at an increasing rate.

Regarding the government’s procurement price, farmers said that the rate will barely cover their production cost. Farmers, who are forced to sell their produce before the government starts procuring, are suffering from losses as local traders buying their produce at a much lower rate.

Earlier, on 13 April after a meeting of the Food Planning and Procurement Committee, it has been announced that the government will procure 4 lakh tonnes of paddy and 12.5 lakh tonnes of rice during this Boro season. The procurement campaign will continue from 7 May to 31 August.

Last Aman season, the government collected paddy at Tk28 per kg and rice at Tk42 per kg. Just a year ago, paddy was procured at Tk27 per kg and rice at Tk40 per kg during the Boro season.

While addressing the rising production cost of paddy,Shoriful Islam, a farmer of Magura sadar upazilla said, ” in this season the production cost increases rapidly as price of electricity, diesel, and fertilizer prices hiked consistently with rising labour costs. As a result, we spent around Tk 1,200 to produce a mound of paddy.”
”But the government’s set procurement price is almost the same. How will I make a profit?” Shoriful Islam asked.

“As per the government rate, the price per maund of rice will be around Tk 1,200. But I cannot wait till 7 May as I need money right now to buy daily essentials for my family. So, I am selling my paddy at Tk 900 to Tk 950 per maund,” said Korim Mollah, a farmer of Kamarkhali village in Faridpur’s Modhukhali upazila.

In spite of bumper Boro yield almost all the areas in the country, in Sylhet region, farmers cultivated BRRI Dhan-28, said their produce was damaged by the Blast disease, caused by fungus.It is alleged that officials of the local Department of Agricultural Extension did not cooperate with them to protect the crop.