Despite bumper boro yields, no respite for farmers from price havoc

Good harvest and bad price – this conflicting scenario has been inflicting on the farmers over the years with no end despite frequent assurance from the government side. It is almost difficult to say when the farmers last smiled in return for their hard toil by way of a fair price. This newspaper on Sunday reported that this year, with the boro harvest now in full swing across the country, things have taken the worst toll imaginable. Farmers worry over fair prices of paddy because seasonal Birridhan-29 paddy is selling at Tk 900-1050 per maund (40kg) in Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Pabna, Kushtia, haor and other regions now. Farmers are reportedly counting Tk 300 in losses per maund of paddy. Therefore, they are left in the lurch where only millers and traders will take the monetary benefits, once again.

The government had earlier announced that it would directly procure paddy from the growers to help them stay away from the middlemen/agents, but in practice, it is the middlemen who are in full-blown procurement business influencing prices at their sweet will. Coupled with this, a few other factors are also believed to have worsened the situation. Import of rice, particularly coarse rice from neighbouring India at low prices, has proved to be a disincentive for traders to procure local rice/paddy at higher prices.
Besides, compared to the expected harvest the government’s procurement target in some of the major boro-growing regions is disproportionately low. This also forces the growers to sell to the middlemen and incur heavy losses. As the farmers need to depend on middlemen and mill owners to sell their harvest, they are left exposed to various frauds as well. The basic factor, however, that did the most harm to the farmers is the deficient procurement mechanism of the government.

However, the situation has already turned from bad to worse, and there seem to be no effective measures taken up by the authorities, so far. We must say there is no choice for the authorities but to strengthen their drive to buy directly from the growers. They have to raise procurement targets in some select locations to ensure farmers get a fair price for their yields. The government should stop rice imports immediately to improve the situation.