High prices tempt farmers to cultivate more Boro

Farmers are showing an inclination towards cultivating more Boro paddy this season, tempted by higher prices prevailing in the market.

However, costs of labour, land lease, seed and fertiliser have also increased compared to that of last year, dampening their desires.

Take the instance of Khaja Mia of Milkipur village under Shibganj upazila of the northwest Bogura district.

The 48-year-old farmer doubled his cultivation area to 10 bighas of land after the Aman paddy he recently harvested fetched high prices compared to what he got the last time around.

Mia said he cut back on potato cultivation this year as seed prices had gone up and instead planted more Boro.

"I hope to get a good price on Boro paddy like Aman paddy this year," he said.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) aims to have 48 lakh hectares of land under Boro paddy cultivation this year, up nearly one per cent from 47.62 lakh hectares the previous year, showed data from the DAE and Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

The DAE said it witnessed a good response from farmers as acreage of seedbeds of Boro seedlings exceeded a targeted 263,000 hectares.

"Farmers appear to be happy and are showing interest in growing Boro paddy this year," said DAE Director General Md Asadullah.

He said the government was also providing incentives totaling Tk 76 crore to encourage farmers to increase cultivation of hybrid rice this season.

Under the initiative, the DAE provides two kilogrammes (kg) of hybrid seeds for cultivation per bigha of land to increase hybrid coverage to 11 lakh hectares during this Boro cultivation season from 9 lakh hectares the previous year.

"We want to ensure surplus production of rice," he said.

The thrust on increased acreage of hybrid, which offers higher yield than improved varieties, comes at a time when prices of the staple grain are ranging high.

Prices of coarse grain, the cheapest compared to medium and fine grains, was up 46 per cent to Tk 45-Tk 50 per kg in Dhaka city markets yesterday from Tk 30-Tk 35 a year ago, showed data of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

Prices of paddy also shot up. And the effect of higher prices of the staple grain are also being felt by farmers.

Farmer Abdur Rouf Mondal of Gobindaganj upazila under Gaibandha district was already growing paddy on 20 bighas of his land. He has added another 10 bighas to it on lease.

"But prices of everything is going up day by day," he said, citing that it had occurred in the case of seeds.

The farmer also alleged that he had to buy 50 kgs of triple super phosphate fertiliser at Tk 1,400 during the potato plantation period this year, which was up from Tk 1,100 a year ago.

The cost of labour has also gone up by 25 per cent to Tk 500 now from Tk 400 the previous year.

"I am in a bit of a dilemma over cultivating paddy on more land this year," he said.

While leasing out the land, the landowners are demanding more this year. Rent was only Tk 400 per decimal for two crops last year.

It increased 25 per cent to Tk 500 per decimal this year, said Abdul Hamid Mondal, another farmer of Gobindaganj.