Low market price worries Joypurhat garlic growers

JOYPURHAT, Jan 05: Garlic growers of the five upazilas of Joypurhat district are worried due to low market price of the produce in Joypurhat.

Both growers and traders are frustrated over the present price of the spice. They are severely upset as the price of the item is plummeting across the retail markets.

Farmer Shahadat Hossain under Akkelpur upazila said he has incurred over Tk 4,500 loss growing garlic on three decimals of land this season and that he had lost interest in garlic cultivation forever.

On the other hand, the farmers are expecting to harvest new garlic next February if the weather condition remains favourable. They are also hoping for Tk 70 to 80 for each kg of spice during harvesting period.

According to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office, peasants of the region had cultivated garlic over on 1,600 hectares of land hoping for good output and fair price as they did last year. They got bumper production but low market price doused the desire of becoming self-reliant.

In a visit recently to the kitchen markets the correspondent found that the farmers were in a gloomy mood as the consumers purchased the spice at Tk 20 to 25 a kg. The affected grassroots farmers are seeking assistance from the government.

DAE official confirmed to this correspondent that this year market price of garlic was much low despite high production.

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