Aman seedling crisis hits NW region farmers
Saturday, 1 September 2007
Naim-Ul-Karim back from Northwest region
Farmers in the flood-hit districts, especially those in the country's northwest region, are facing an acute shortage of seedlings at the fag end of aman cultivation season.
The sufferings of the farmers aggravated as about 6,58,078 hectares of land were submerged by floodwaters in 39 districts that destroyed seedbeds, vegetables, aush paddy and aman plants, according to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).
With the recession of floodwaters, farmers in the flood-hit areas are facing shortage of seeds and other agricultural inputs.
Some farmers in Sirajganj were seen Friday buying seedlings at high prices from the roadside makeshift bazar.
About 80 small bundles of seedlings, required for plantation on a bigha of land, were being sold at Tk 1,000-Tk 1,100 in the bazar.
The normal price of such bundles of seedlings is Tk 250- Tk 300, said Md Sirajul Islam, a farmer of Kaddarmor area.
When asked, Abdus Salam, a trader, said acute shortage of seedlings is a cause of the price hike.
"We have to collect the seedlings from far away markets like Bogra, Sherpur and some other districts of the country at high prices," he said.
Mustafizur Rahman Fenu, a farmer, said he has about 30 bighas of land for planting aman seedlings, but the cultivation is now uncertain due to scarcity of various inputs.
Mentioning the current market prices of the seedlings, he said: "I need about Tk 30,000 for buying seedlings only. Besides, about Tk 30,000 is also needed for buying other inputs and meet labour cost."
"There is no time for preparing seed-beds. We need seedlings for plantation by the next 15-20 days for better growth," a farmer at Shabatpur Char under Nagarpur thana in Tangail said.
He said: "Several bighas of land in this area will remain unutilised unless poor farmers are provided with seedlings." "The farmers need seedlings, not seed, to complete cultivation in time".
Shahidul Islam of Manikganj said the supply of seedlings in the market is insufficient to meet the requirement.
Farmers said the flood water is receding very soon, drying the land. So the cultivation should be hastened, they noted.
Yousuf Ali, another farmer, said seedlings available in the market are not of high quality, and in some cases these are not suitable for cultivation.
However, farmers have welcomed the government's decision on relaxation of farm loan repayment and urged the NGOs (non-government organisations) to do the same.
"When we are in problems, buying foods/seedlings and machinery for damaged handlooms repayment of loan are really difficult."
M Tajul Islam, director of the Federation of NGOs in Bangladesh (FNB), said some NGOs have already relaxed loan repayment considering the condition of the flood-hit borrowers.
When contacted, sources at the DAE said the government has taken adequate measures to remove the shortage of seedlings as soon as possible.
"We are expecting that by next few days the supply of seedlings will increase," a senior DAE official said.
Farmers in the flood-hit districts, especially those in the country's northwest region, are facing an acute shortage of seedlings at the fag end of aman cultivation season.
The sufferings of the farmers aggravated as about 6,58,078 hectares of land were submerged by floodwaters in 39 districts that destroyed seedbeds, vegetables, aush paddy and aman plants, according to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).
With the recession of floodwaters, farmers in the flood-hit areas are facing shortage of seeds and other agricultural inputs.
Some farmers in Sirajganj were seen Friday buying seedlings at high prices from the roadside makeshift bazar.
About 80 small bundles of seedlings, required for plantation on a bigha of land, were being sold at Tk 1,000-Tk 1,100 in the bazar.
The normal price of such bundles of seedlings is Tk 250- Tk 300, said Md Sirajul Islam, a farmer of Kaddarmor area.
When asked, Abdus Salam, a trader, said acute shortage of seedlings is a cause of the price hike.
"We have to collect the seedlings from far away markets like Bogra, Sherpur and some other districts of the country at high prices," he said.
Mustafizur Rahman Fenu, a farmer, said he has about 30 bighas of land for planting aman seedlings, but the cultivation is now uncertain due to scarcity of various inputs.
Mentioning the current market prices of the seedlings, he said: "I need about Tk 30,000 for buying seedlings only. Besides, about Tk 30,000 is also needed for buying other inputs and meet labour cost."
"There is no time for preparing seed-beds. We need seedlings for plantation by the next 15-20 days for better growth," a farmer at Shabatpur Char under Nagarpur thana in Tangail said.
He said: "Several bighas of land in this area will remain unutilised unless poor farmers are provided with seedlings." "The farmers need seedlings, not seed, to complete cultivation in time".
Shahidul Islam of Manikganj said the supply of seedlings in the market is insufficient to meet the requirement.
Farmers said the flood water is receding very soon, drying the land. So the cultivation should be hastened, they noted.
Yousuf Ali, another farmer, said seedlings available in the market are not of high quality, and in some cases these are not suitable for cultivation.
However, farmers have welcomed the government's decision on relaxation of farm loan repayment and urged the NGOs (non-government organisations) to do the same.
"When we are in problems, buying foods/seedlings and machinery for damaged handlooms repayment of loan are really difficult."
M Tajul Islam, director of the Federation of NGOs in Bangladesh (FNB), said some NGOs have already relaxed loan repayment considering the condition of the flood-hit borrowers.
When contacted, sources at the DAE said the government has taken adequate measures to remove the shortage of seedlings as soon as possible.
"We are expecting that by next few days the supply of seedlings will increase," a senior DAE official said.