Farmers sell wheat spikes to make higher profit

In a worrying trend, a group of farmers in northern districts are selling wheat spikes as cattle feed in order to make a higher profit since they don't get fair prices for the final produce.

The sales of the immature plants as cattle feed could hurt the production of the cereal grain, the third-largest in Bangladesh, further increasing the reliance on imports, agronomists warned.

The issue has prompted the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI) in Dinajpur to write to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) to nip the tendency in the bud before it poses any serious threat.

It comes at a time when wheat production in Bangladesh is failing to keep pace with rising consumption.

The average annual wheat production is around 1.25 million tonnes, against the demand of about 7.5 million tonnes, according to the BWMRI in Dinajpur. So, the demand, which is growing 10 per cent per annum, has to be largely met through imports.

During a visit to various places in Dinajpur and other districts, it was found that growers are selling their wheat plants with the full-grown spikes at various markets as cattle feed about a month before its harvesting period. This will allow farmers to use the land for Boro cultivation or any other crop.

A number of farmers say they are doing so since they are deprived of fair prices from the production of wheat. 

Rubel Hossain, a farmer in Phulbari upazila in Dinajpur, cultivated the crop on three acres of land this year. He has sold the plants with spikes as it is much more profitable. He suffered losses last year from wheat cultivation.

He spent Tk 16,000 to cultivate wheat on one acre of land. But, it was pretty impossible to recoup the investment for various causes, including rat infestations and lower price, he said. 

Rubel is not alone.

Ismail Hossain, Kamal Hossain, Saminur Rahman and a dozen other farmers in the same upazila have sold the immature wheat plants in advance to ensure profit.

A similar inclination was found in Biral, Kaharol, Birganj, Chirirbandar, Parbatipur, Birampur and Nawabganj upazilas of Dinajpur.

The situation is similar in Rangpur.

Saidur Rahman, a wheat grower at Habu village in Rangpur's Gangachara upazila, grew the crop on 50 decimal of lands this year. As the plants matured, he decided to sell the crop.

He sold wheat spikes to a wholesale trader at Tk 16,000. He has been doing it for the last two years.

"We are doing it as we don't get better prices from the wheat crop," he said.

With this, he has been able to free up the land and he has got enough time to prepare it for another crop.

SM Saiful Islam, a food control officer in Dinajpur, says such a trend would affect the estimated wheat production.

He emphasises controlling the trend since enough high-quality grasses are already produced in the country to meet the demand for cattle feed.

Md Manjurul Haque, deputy director of the DAE in Dinajpur, says they have also noticed the trend among the farmers.

"This is a matter of concern. The wheat cultivation area in Dinajpur is shrinking, and farmers are not interested in cultivating wheat for various reasons."

The DAE had targeted to grow wheat on 5,300 hectares of land in Dinajpur this season. But around 3,500 hectares have been brought under the cultivation, Haque said, adding that the DAE has already taken steps to this effect.

Md Abdul Hakim, chief scientific officer of the BWMRI in Dinajpur, says his department urged the DAE to take immediate steps to put an end to such a trend.

Most farmers sold their wheat at Tk 20 to 22 a kg last year.