Farmers busy sorting gherkin, a small variety of cucumber- called Kheera in Bengali, before sending them to different parts of the country. The photo was taken from a market of Chalan Beel area — FE Photo BOGURA, Dec 20: Despite a bountiful yield, gherkin (a small variety of cucumber - called Kheera in Bengali) farmers in greater Chalan Beel region are counting heavy losses this year due to transport crisis, high vehicle rents and low prices of their produce caused by the political unrest prevailing across the country centering the upcoming 12th national election.
Insiders said farmers and traders in the region covering Bogura, Sirajganj, Pabna and Natore districts are facing trouble in sending their goods to different destinations, including Dhaka and Chattogram, due to transport shortage and higher rent of vehicles.
Such situation has been created centering the current political unrest, especially hartal and blockade enforced by the opposition parties-BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Farmers and traders said transport crisis takes a toll almost four to five days of a week as BNP and Jamaat call hartal or blockade programme to press home their demands centering the national election billed for January 7, 2024.
Traders are forced to count additional fares for the carrying of their produce as the transport operators do not dare run their vehicles on the roads and highways in fear of arson attack.
As a result, appearance of wholesalers and middlemen has declined at the local markets, which is pushing the farmers and traders into losses.
Adam Ali, a farmer of Chalan Beel area, said, "We are not getting reasonable prices as we can't sell gherkin, locally known as Kheera, due to less appearance of traders."
The November-April time span of the year is the prime time for harvest of Kheera (gherkin).
But, this time, farmers and traders are facing trouble in sending their goods to the destinations due to the prevailing political unrest.
Transport fare has doubled as most of the operators are reluctant to bring their vehicles on roads or highways in fear of arson attack or vandalism by miscreants during hartal or blockade.
As a result, due to the transport shortage, Kheera in large quantities get damaged in fields and storehouses causing huge losses to the farmers and traders.
Sobder Ali, a trader of Ullapara in Sirajganj district said, "I used to supply two to three trucks of Kheera to different parts of the country including Dhaka daily during normal time. But now, I can't take my goods to Dhaka as BNP and Jama'at enforce hartal or blockade for four to five days a week especially on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Even after counting additional charges, we can't carry our goods to the destinations due to ongoing anarchy."
During a spot visit to different places including Sirajganj and Bogura district, this correspondent came to know that a mound of gherkin or Kheera is now being sold at between Tk800 and Tk900 at different storehouses.
But, it was sold at between Tk2000 and Tk 2500 at the same time last year. Consequently, the farmers cannot recover their production costs this time. Nurnabi Talukder, a trader of Char Bardhangachha in Ullapara upazila of Sirajganj district said, "At least 100 trucks used to carry gherkin to different areas including Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Cumilla, Barishal and Bogura daily during this season every year. But, this year, highest 20 trucks are loaded with Kheera from here a day, if hartal or blockade is not enforced."
Later, the product was supplied to several districts of the country through different modes of transport.
Wholesalers come here from different areas to purchase Kheera. But, this time, trade is being hampered seriously due to transport crisis over the current political unrest.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), about 666 hectares of land were brought under gherkin cultivation in Sirajganj district this year. Of the total, Kheera was cultivated on highest amount of land in Tarash upazila, while vast tracts of land in Baruhash and Talom union of Tarash upazila, Bishalpur union in Sherpur upazila of Bogura district and Bias union in Singra upazila of Natore district were brought under its cultivation this year exceeding target fixed by the DAE.
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