The low prices of boro paddy have frustrated the farmers in many parts
of the country, for the third year in a row.
With the beginning of harvest of boro, farmers in some areas got relatively better prices than the last year. But in last one month, the prices have fallen below the production cost in most of the areas.
The farmers of some northern districts like Natore, Pabna, Sirajganj and areas with wetland including Sunamganj, Habiganj, Moulvibazar and Kishoreganj, where the harvesting began early, expressed their dissatisfaction over the low prices of paddy.
Growers said the prices of paddy fell to Tk 500-550 per maund (a maund equals to 37.32kg) in last one month and they had to sell their crop at a rate below the production cost.
However, the farmers of Rajshahi, Narsingdi, Jhenaidah, Satkhira and Jessore said that the prices of boro were comparatively higher than the last year.
The variety of BR 28 is selling at Tk 650-Tk 700 a maund in those areas. Although the prices are not enough for the existence of the sharecroppers, they are better than the last few years, the growers said.
Farmer Milad Hossain of Moulvibazar told New Age that he produced 18 maunds of paddy from 33 decimals of land by spending Tk 9,000 and now he got the same amount of money by selling the crop.
There is no profit margin for the growers as the prices of paddy fell to Tk 500 per maund, he said.
Nur Mohammad Mollah, another farmer at Rupsha in Khulna, said the boro prices fell to Tk 500-Tk 550 per maund in the last couple of weeks and farmers were incurring loss.
The sharecroppers are passing their days through severe hardship as they are getting 10 maund of paddy from 33 decimal of land by spending more than Tk 8,000, he said.
The prices should be set at minimum Tk 800 a maund to protect the farmers from incurring losses, Nur Mohammad said.
Another farmer, Bidhan Chandra Das of Satkhira, said the boro prices were comparatively higher this year than the last year.
‘I am happy that it would be possible to gain profit this year as the paddy variety of BR-28 is selling at Tk 680-Tk 700 per maund,’ he said.
Nazrul Islam, farmer of Monirampur in Jessore, said more than 80 per cent of boro paddy had been harvested and the prices were comparatively better.
He said Hira, a hybrid variety, was selling at Tk 620 a maund and BR-28 at Tk 720 a maund on the local market.
Another farmer, Idris Ali of Bagha upazila in Rajshahi, said boro harvest had just started and the prices were better than the last year.
The fine quality of BR 28 is selling at Tk 750 a maund on the local market.
Agricultural economist Mahbub Hossain, also BRAC’s executive director, said the cultivation of boro depended on the land level. In the low land areas, cultivation starts early and harvest usually starts early there, he said.
The prices decreased more in the areas where the harvesting began early and is going on in full swing, he said.
The sharecroppers are incurring huge loss as their production cost is Tk 650 per maund of paddy but they are forced to sell the paddy at Tk 500 and Tk 550 a maund, he said.
The prices should range between Tk 750 and Tk 800 per maund and the government should announce the minimum price for paddy before start of the cultivation, Mahbub said. ‘In that case, the growers can make a calculation and avoid losses,’ he added.
He also said that the natural climate was favourable for the farmers in the last four years and production of paddy increased much.
But the consumption is not increasing considering with the production and so the government have to encourage the growers to shift another crops from paddy otherwise the prices will fall more, he observed.
-With New Age input
