Boro farming not profitable as price Tk 400 per maund
Frustration has gripped farmers as paddy price continues to be low in the markets. Besides, delay in the rice procurement drive of the government in Dinajpur, Joypurhat and Naogaon is also allegedly depriving farmers of fair prices for their produce.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said at least 4,38,651 hectares of land have been brought under Irri-boro farming in the three districts, and total paddy production would be around 26,33,766 tonnes this year.
Of the cultivated land, 1,76,651 hectares are in Dinajpur and 1.90 lakh hectares in Naogaon.
Paddy harvesting has started in these districts, and around 50 percent of the crop has been harvested so far.
The district food controlling departments will procure 63,784 tonnes of paddy in the three northern districts through 57 centres.
Abdul Kadir, Anwar Hossain and Iqbal Chowdhury, district food controllers of Dinajpur, Naogaon and Joypurhat, respectively, said paddy procurement is going at a slow pace because there is more than 14 percent moisture in the paddy. It has to be less than that before procurement.
"It will take some time for procurement to gain momentum," said Abdul Kadir.
Talking with this correspondent, most farmers said they got bumper production, but low price is a cause of concern as it is difficult for them to cover their expenses from Irri-boro farming.
This correspondent visited two big wholesale markets in Panchbari and Gopalganj in Dinajpur Sadar upazila and found farmers selling paddy at Tk 370 to Tk 400 per maund.
"You know the price of one kilogram of mutton? It is Tk 650. The price of one maund of paddy is not even equivalent to the price of one kilogram of mutton," said Achhim Uddin, a farmer of Uttar Gosaipur village under Dinajpur Sadar upazila. He spent Tk 15,000 for producing paddy on one bigha of land.
In Joypurhat, farmers alleged that this year buyers from other districts are allegedly being barred from procuring paddy by the local rice millers, who have formed syndicates among themselves. "We are forced to sell our produce at throwaway price to the local millers," said Abdul Gafur of Kalai upazila. Paddy is being sold at Tk 360 to Tk 380 per maund in Joypurhat.
Farmers in Naogaon too got bumper production this season. Sirajul Islam of Nitpur village in Porsha upazila said he got 25 maunds paddy from one bigha. But low price marred his hope of earning a profit. "I don't how I will repay the loan I took," he said.
The situation is worse for the farmers who cultivated paddy taking land on lease.
Siddiqur Rahman, a farmer of Niamatpur upazila, said that he cultivated boro on one bigha this year and got 25 maunds of paddy. He sold his produce for Tk 9,500, while his expenditure was around Tk 17,000. "I have to pay the bills for irrigation, pesticide and fertiliser, and also give money to the land owner," he added.
The situation will improve soon, said Satyabrata Saha, deputy director of DAE in Naogaon.
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