RANGPUR, May 21: Though government's paddy procurement drive has already begun in Rangpur, it is yet to make any effect on paddy market, sources said.
According to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Rangpur official sources farmers cultivated Boro on around 5,09000 hectares of land this season in five districts in the zone.
The districts are Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat.
Harvesting of Boro is going on in full swing in the region but low price of the paddy in the local markets made the growers apprehensive of recovering the production cost of the crop.
Moreover, most of the poor and marginal farmers had borrowed money at a high interest rate from the money lenders and NGOs to cultivate the paddy. Some of them are harvesting their paddy at the earliest possible time to repay loan. But the drop in market price of the crop is disheartening them.
At present per maund Boro paddy is being sold between Tk 430 to Tk 500 depending on quality at different markets of the region.
"I cultivated Boro paddy on one bigha of land this year spending around Tk 9,900 and got 17 maunds of paddy. But I shall get around Tk 7,800 to Tk8000 only buy selling the produce, Ojiar Rahman (60), a grower of Char Thakurdas village at Kawnia upazila in Rangpur district told FE.
"I got 33 maunds of Boro paddy from one acre of land. But I have to incur loss this season as its cost is about Tk 16,000 in the local market said, another farmer Joynal Mia (55), of Andarkota village under Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur. If the price of paddy is not increased, farmers will be discouraged to cultivate the crop in coming seasons, he apprehended.
Meanwhile, many cultivators under the region alleged that since the beginning of harvesting they have been facing difficulties due to dearth and high charges of farm labourers .
The farm labourers are forming teams to work for harvesting on contract basis for Tk 450 to Tk 500 per head a day, they added.
In these circumstances, the growers of the region urged the government to take necessary steps to ensure fair prices for their produce.
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