Ishwardi farmers worried over declining vegetables’ price
Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
Ishwardi, one of the vegetable producing areas of the country, is importing large quantities of winter vegetables in the market. This has affected the wholesale and retail markets. However, the price of vegetables in the wholesale market has decreased significantly, but it has decreased slightly in the retail market. While the middle class wholesalers and retailers reap the benefits, the common consumers and farmers are deprived.
In the space of a week, the prices of almost all vegetables including cauliflower and cabbage have decreased by Tk 20-30 per kg. Although the prices of potatoes and eggs have decreased slightly, the prices of onions have not decreased yet. However, some say that wholesale prices of vegetables have fallen drastically due to the blockade. Wholesalers are facing obstacles in sending vegetables. In this, Ishwardi, which is known as the vegetable production area, has reduced the prices to a large extent. As a result farmers are suffering. This information was obtained by talking to vegetable traders and some farmers in Muladuli, Aotapara, Silimpur and Dashuria in Ishwardi.
Aminur Rahman Babu of Ishwardi’s largest Muladuli vegetable shop said that the prices of beans and some other vegetables have fallen the most. Around 10 crores worth of vegetables are shipped from Ishwardi to different areas of the country including the capital. No one agrees to carry vegetables for fear of vandalism. If one day is empty after two days of blockade, 2-3 times the truck fare has to be paid. As a result, wholesalers buy vegetables at low prices, but the prices are high due to transportation costs. He said that there is no possibility of increasing the price of vegetables if there is no major weather related problem.
It can be seen in the wholesale market and retail market, a week ago, a kg of brinjal was Tk 80-100. Now a kg of brinjal is Tk 30 in wholesale, Tk 40 in retail market. The price of beans has reduced from 80 to 35 taka in wholesale and 50 taka in retail market. A kg of Dhyas has come down from Tk 50-60 to Tk 15-16 in wholesale and Tk 25-30 in retail market. Cauliflower of 60 taka per kg is 30 taka in the wholesale market and 40-50 taka in the retail market. The price of Radish per kg has come down from Tk 50 to Tk 12-15. 60 Tk per kg is being sold at Tk 45-50. However, the price of cabbage has not decreased much. 40 taka in wholesale and 50 taka in retail. Papaya is being sold at Tk 15-20, down from Tk 30-40 per kg. Similarly, gourd, dhundul, jinge and kachumukhi are now being sold at Tk 40-60. The price of gourd has reduced from Tk 40-50 to Tk 20-25. A kg of potato is Tk 42-45 in wholesale and Tk 50 in retail market. Despite the relief in vegetable prices, the onion market is still volatile. The price is unlikely to fall until the new onion comes in the market. Onion is still selling at Tk 120 per kg in the retail market.
Sanjay Sarkar, a wholesale vegetable seller of Ishwardi, said that when the prices increased earlier, people bought fewer vegetables. Now due to the blockade, the sales have halved even though the prices have come down. So the wholesalers are not able to benefit. Due to the blockade, they are facing hurdles in sending vegetables. Farmers are getting lower prices due to this.
The central president of Bangladesh Farmers Development Society, national medalist farmer Siddiqur Rahman alias Kul Mayez said that the price of vegetables has decreased due to continuous blockade, farmers are worried about planting vegetables early. If this continues, the farmer will lose everything. Vegetables worth billions of rupees are wasted every day due to strike-blockade. Farmers said, due to the strike and blockade, our produce is being wasted in the field as we cannot sell it. We do not do any party politics. Then why are our vegetable beds being set on fire. We want to get rid of programs like hartal-blockade.
