Bumper Boro yield brings smile to Chandpur farmers

CHANDPUR, July 24: Local farmers have expressed satisfaction over the massive production of Boro paddy this season due to favourable weather and easy availability of agri inputs.

Now, farmers fear they would not get the fair price of their produce in local markets, agriculture officer Mobarak Hossain has told the FE.

"There are as many as 0.23 million (2.33 lakh) Boro farmers in the entire district,'' he added.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Chandpur, some 0.27 million (2.75 lakh) tonnes of Boro paddy have been harvested in eight upazilas of the district this year, which is higher than the target.

As many as 63,980 hectares of land have been brought into Boro cultivation in the district with a production target of 0.27 million (2.72 lakh) tonnes.

"For the timely availability of seeds, fertilisers, irrigation and favourable weather, local farmers have seen massive Boro production and are delighted with their produce," Chandpur DAE Deputy Director Dr Shafayet Ahammad Siddiqui has said while talking to the FE correspondent.

"Not an inch of agri land was left to remain fallow on the directive of the Prime Minister.''

Despite a bumper Boro output, many farmers are not getting the fair price of the paddy in local markets, many have alleged.

While visiting local wholesale markets, this correspondent talked to some farmers about the market prices of their produce.

Expressing regret over the low price of Boro paddy, they have said its price was higher than that of last year.

The government is purchasing Boro paddy for Tk 32 per kg, market insiders say.

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