Mug bean seed crisis in Patuakhali

Mug bean growers in the district are facing a serious crisis of seeds as Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) failed to meet their demands, making achievement of cultivation target uncertain.

They have to buy mug bean seeds from local market at Tk 130 to Tk 150 per kg as BADC did not give allocation of seeds this year, farmers said. 

“This year, we sent a demand letter to the authorities concerned requesting allocation of 25 tonnes of seeds to sell among local growers, but no allocation was given,” said BADC (seeds) Deputy Director (DD) Md Asaduzzaman.

“We got only 7.04 tonnes of seeds and Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) distributed those among the poor farmers free of cost. Many farmers come to our office to buy mug seed but we do not have seeds,” he said.

Local seed traders sell seeds at high price to the growers, who have to buy from them as BADC does not have seeds.

“I cultivated mug bean on one and a half acres of land last year and planned to cultivate it on two acres this year as it is very profitable,” said Md Jafar Sikder, a mug bean grower of Shiali village in Bodorpur union under Sadar upazila.

Abdur Rahman of Moukaron village in Laukathi union said he is facing a serious crisis of mug seeds this year as BADC cannot supply those.

DAE Deputy Director Hridayeshwar said they set a target to cultivate mug beans on 82,480 hectares of land this year, and they have cultivated 63,985 hectares till February 26.

Mug bean firming is very profitable in the coastal region due to suitable soil, favourable weather and cheap labour, he said.