Aman growers unhappy as prices too low

Unusually low market price of Aman paddy at the beginning of harvesting period frustrates farmers of Patuakhali and adjacent Barguna district.

This correspondent visited paddy markets at Mohipur and Dhankhali under Kalapara and Badura under Galachipa upazila in Patuakhali and Bandra under Barguna’s Amtali upazila during the last couple of days.

It was found that tepushail, a local variety of Aman, was selling for Tk 500 to 550 per maund (40 kg) and kazalshail and rajashail, also local varieties, for Tk 525 to 550.

“Production cost per maund of Aman is around Tk 700 but we are getting maximum Tk 550 in the local market,” said Faruq Mridha, a farmer of Puran Mohipur village in Kalapara.

“I cultivated Aman paddy on 1.20 acres of land this year, spending around Tk 38,000 including lease money, fertiliser, seeds and labour. But I cannot expect more than Tk 22,000 for 40 maunds of produce as it is selling at Tk 550 a maund,” said Md Jalil Hawlader of the same village.

“I went to Badura Bazar to sell 20 maunds of Aman paddy but became frustrated due to low price,” said Md Khabir Uddin, a farmer of Dakkhin Auliapur village under Patuakhali Sadar upazila.

Abul Mir of Pashchim Gerakhali village under the same upazila said, “I cultivated paddy on four acres of land. As I did not have adequate money to cover the total farming cost, I had to borrow Tk 20,000 from a local NGO. But now I cannot even recover the production cost as the market price is very low.”

 Farmers in the area depend mostly on Aman cultivation for livelihood.

 “Wholesale buyers from northern districts including Natore, Mymensing and Dinajpur usually come to the area every year to buy Aman for good prices but this season they have not come yet. It is the main reason for low price of the paddy,” said Masudur Rahman, a wholesale buyer of Baufal upazila’s Kalaiya Bazar, the largest paddy market in Patuakhali.

Aman paddy was cultivated on about 2.10 lakh hectares of land in seven upazilas of the district this year and the production target is 5.08 lakh tonnes, said Redoyeswhor Datta, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension in Patuakhali.