RANGPUR, Feb 19: Boro paddy cultivators have lost hope and enthusiasm due to an acute scarcity of fertilisers prevailing in five districts of the Rangpur agriculture region during the current peak time for transplantation of the seedlings.
In addition, soaring prices of fertilisers has also come as a severe blow to the
peasants in the region.
Especially, small and marginal farmers are bearing the brunt of the circumstances. Many farmers are yet to start transplantation of Boro seedlings due to severe scarcity of fertiliser as well as its high price.
Expressing apprehension, a good number of Boro cultivators said that they might not be able to make profit from the cultivation of the crop this season due to high production cost, caused by price hike of fertisers as well as other inputs.
However, dealers have attributed the price hike of fertlisers to a supply crunch. On the other hand, growers have claimed that exploiting the situation, a section of unscrupulous dealers are creating an artificial crisis of fertiliser.
It is learnt, farmers of the district are putting up their utmost efforts to gear up Boro paddy transplantation during the peak season across the region. But they are facing serious difficulty in continuing their efforts on account of a severe crisis as well as price spiral of fertilisers. Farmers alleged, it has become so hard for them to cope with the adverse situation as expenditure of other inputs including irrigation, pesticides and labour is also exorbitant.
They have lamented that prices of fertilisers have increased by Tk100 to 300 per sack.
The growers alleged that in some cases they are being compelled to purchase fertilisers from the retailers by spending additional Tk400 to 700.
Sources said per sack (50 kg) of urea fertiliser is being sold for Tk1,450 in the markets though its price is Tk1,350 at the dealer level. TSP fertliser is being sold at Tk1,550 to 1,700 per sack against its government rate of Tk1,350.
The government fixed prices of per kg urea and TSP fertilisers at Tk27, that of DAP at Tk21 per kg and that of MOP at Tk20. However, farmers said they are forced to purchase per kg urea at Tk29-34, TSP for Tk33-42, DAP for Tk25-36 and MOP at Tk25-32.
Blaming the dishonest traders for creating artificial crisis, a good number of Boro growers said they cannot buy fertiliser at the government-fixed rates. They have to pay Tk 5-10 more for per kg fertilise, which is an additional burden for them.
When they go to buy fertiliser, they are told that there is none. If they agree to pay extra money, only then they can get fertiliser. Some profit monger traders are responsible for the supply crunch of fertilisers and price manipulation, they noted.
Abdul Halim, a Boro cultivator in Alampur area of Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district, told The Financial Express that he could not buy fertiliser as the dealers told him that they had already ran out of stock. Consequently, he had to purchase per sack of TSP for Tk2,000 and per sack of DAP for Tk1,350 from retailers.
He said, "We have failed to make any profit from potato this year due to low price of the crop. We hoped to recover from the loss by cultivating Boro paddy. But, now, we are apprehensive about making profit as we have to spend additional money for cultivating the crop."
Expressing disappointment, Shahidul, a farmer of Khalashpir area of Pirganj upazila in Rangpur district, told the FE that several days ago he was compelled to return empty -handed failing to buy even a single sack of fertiliser from dealers for want of stock.
Later, he had to spend Tk5,100 for buying three sacks of TSP.
He said he spent Tk1,700 for each sack of TSP whereas its government-fixed price is Tk1350.
"Farmers like us are struggling to grow paddy due to soaring price of fertilisers, pesticides and labour. On the contrary, we are being deprived of the fair price of the crops," he added.
While talking to the FE, a number of Boro growers put emphasis on proper monitoring by the government so that farmers can purchase fertilisers at reasonable prices.
However, Officer-in-charge of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), Rangpur buffer warehouse Faisal Ahmed said there is no crisis of fertiliser in the region. Market monitoring is ongoing across the region.
Stern action would be taken if anybody is found involved in manipulating price by creating artificial crisis of fertilisers, he warned.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Rangpur, the authorities set a target to bring a total of 5,08,978 hectares of land under Boro paddy cultivation in five districts of Rangpur agriculture region this season with a production target of 34,41,292 tonnes of paddy.
The districts belonging to the agriculture region are Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Nilphamari.
Deputy Director of the DAE, Rangpur, Md Reaz Uddin, however, told FE, at present, crisis of fertiliser is not so acute. Market monitoring has been intensified across the region. He expected that the growers would be able to overcome the crisis soon. He also hoped that the target of Boro farming will certainly be achieved in Rangpur region during this season.
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