Scarcity of inputs poses a threat to Rabi crops in N.dists

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FE Report
Farmers in the northern districts are facing scarcity of fertilisers and seeds, which may affect cultivation of Rabi crops and Boro paddy.
They have said the problems will not only escalate the production costs of those food items but also will reduce their production.
Some farmers from northern districts have complained about short supply of fertilisers and seeds of potato, wheat, Boro rice and other Rabi crops.
Salahuddin Khan, a farmer in Rajshahi district, Friday said the farmers hardly get necessary fertilisers -- urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), triple-supper phosphate (TSP) and muriate of potash (MoP) - from the dealers or from the open markets.
"Now we are preparing lands for cultivation of potato, which requires use of DAP, MoP, TSP and Urea to augment the production. But the DAP is being sold at Tk 1900 to 2200 and MoP at Tk 1600 to 1800 per 50-kilogram (kg) bag in the market. The unusual high prices have put us in difficulties so far as cultivation of potato and other Rabi crops is concerned," he said.
According to Agriculture ministry sources, the normal prices of DAP, MoP and TSP at farmers' level are Tk 950 to Tk1050, Tk 750 to Tk850 and Tk 750 to Tk850 per bag respectively.
Meanwhile, another farmer in the same area Akbar Ali said: "We are being forced to procure potato seeds at high rate from the market due to short supply."
"The suppliers are selling potato seeds at Tk 3000 to Tk3500 per 40-kg bag instead of Tk 1600-Tk2000 in the last season," he stated.
Agro-economists feel if the fertilisers are not available in the market, the farmers will be discouraged to cultivate Rabi crops like potato, wheat, and Boro paddy in the post-flood period, which might create scarcity of food in local markets in the future.
Terming the scarcity as temporary, an agriculture ministry official Friday claimed that the problem would be over as the imported agricultural inputs would be made available shortly.
"The importers stopped import of fertiliser for about one and a half months (August-September) due to non-payment of their dues on account of subsidy by the government. The postponement has affected the fertiliser supply at the moment," he said.
He, however, said the traders resumed import from early last month.
Usually the private sector and the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) import the fertilisers including TSP, MoP and DAP while the state-owned Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) brings in urea.
President of the Bangladesh Fertiliser Association (BFA), Kafil Uddin Ahmad told the FE that import and supply of fertiliser had been boosted.
The President of BFA, a platform of the fertiliser importers, said 50,000 tonnes of TSP and 18,000 tonnes of MoP have been supplied to the government appointed dealers in order to market those at the farmers' level.
The government has also given them (importers) permission to import 0.1 million tonnes of DAP from the international markets, he stated.
Besides, he said, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) would supply 0.15 million tonnes of DAP from the local production units.
Under an arrangement with the importers, the government this year will provide 15 per cent subsidy to the private sector importers on the value of their imported fertilisers to ensure supply of the farm input to the farmers at a lower price.
Agriculture ministry sources said about 60 per cent of the total annual demand for fertiliser is needed during the Robi and Boro season.
During the season - from November to March-- demand for DAP is over 0.25 million tonnes and TSP and MoP is around 0.35 million tonnes each.
Meanwhile, the annual demand for Urea is around 2.8 million tonnes, TSP 0.475 million tonnes, MoP 0.4 million tonnes and DAP 0.3 million tonnes, the sources informed.