RAJSHAHI, Jan 09: Despite an abundant production of Aman paddy, farmers are disappointed over the present market price of paddy.
It is learnt, the top quality paddy is being sold at Tk 750 to 760 per maund but the farmers informed, if the market price is not over Tk 1,000 per maund, the farmers would incur loss.
They mentioned that most of the farmers of the district used to cultivate paddy as share croppers or by taking lease of the land from the owners. The increased rate of labour, fertiliser, water, ploughing and insecticides is also adding an increased cost to paddy production. As a result, farmers were not being able to earn profit after repaying the money of lease or the paddy.
After visiting various places of the district, it was noticed, the work for procurement of paddy from most of the fields of farmers has already been completed. Now, they were selling paddy in the market but the low market price is upsetting them.
Altaf Hossain of Durgapur village informed, he cultivated paddy on three and a half bigha of land by taking lease of the land. He got 45 maunds which cost him nearly Tk 25,000.
Moreover, he is needed to pay Tk 20,000 more as return on the lease money. So, he has to spent nearly Tk 45,000 to cultivate and harvest the paddy.
According to present market price, he would get a return of Tk 30,000 only by selling the paddy. As a result he will have to count a loss of Tk 12,000. Moreover, he himself worked in the field for which the wages has not been included.
Korban Ali of Maria village of the same upazila informed, now farmers incur loss by cultivating paddy that is why they were losing interest to cultivate paddy. But, he mentioned, the price of rice in the market was nearly double than the paddy. Though the price of paddy of falling in the markets, the price of rice was on rise which is very absurd, he said.
Abdus Satter of Gollapara village under Tanore upazila informed, he harvested 75 maunds of paddy from five bighas of land. Last Wednesday, he sold swarna variety of paddy at Tk 750 per maund.
Aslam Sarker, a paddy trader at Gollaparahat informed, there was sufficient supply of paddy in the market but the farmers who sell paddy here informed they will incur loss by selling the paddy at the present market rate.
Deb Dulal Dhali, Deputy Director of District Agriculture Extension Department informed, the cultivation of paddy surpassed the target in the district covering 73,219 hectares of land whereas the target was fixed at 71,337 hectares.
He further said, the transplanted Aman paddy in Barind region is mainly dependent on rain. But, this season, the rain was delayed and farmers had to purchase water for irrigation, which increased the cost of production.
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