Better prices for major crops mark 2014

Better prices for major crops grown by farmers helped boost the rural economy in the calendar year 2014, farmers and experts said.
A debate over introduction of the genetically modified (GM) variety, Bt Brinjal, at the farmers' level was also in the spotlight in the year.  
Although the outgoing year began with the plight of potato farmers mounting as prices of the commodity fell to the lowest-ever level of US $23 a tonne in the January-February period, farmers, however, got better prices for onion, ginger, mustard oil seed, wheat, Boro and Aman paddy, jute and summer vegetables.
The prices of major commodities in the harvesting seasons in 2013 were also better compared to those of 2012 when the farmers suffered losses for almost every crop they grew, according to data available with the state-run Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM).
The DAM data showed that prices of major crops including Boro and Aus crops, onion, wheat, maize, jute, ginger, mustard seed and summer vegetables in 2014 were 10-15 per cent higher compared to that in 2013.
Boro, the major crop of the country, which meets 57 per cent of the rice demand, sold at Tk 680-Tk 800 per maund (40 kg) in the May-June period. Farmers got Tk 800-Tk 1000 per kg for onion, Tk 800-Tk 900 for wheat, Tk 900-Tk 1200 for jute (desi), Tk 1350-Tk 1800 for jute (tossa), Tk 680-Tk 720 for Aus paddy, Tk 1600-Tk 1800 for ginger, according to the DAM.
Production of Boro crop hit the record high at 18.95 million tonnes while wheat output rose to a 11-year high at 1.302 million tonnes. Potato output was also at a record high 8.95 million tonnes, summer vegetable production 4.0 million tonnes, jute production static at 7.0 million bales, onion the highest 1.65 million tonnes and ginger at a three-year record of 72,000 tonnes in 2014, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data revealed.
The final estimate of Aus and Aman paddy is yet to be made.
Besides crops, poultry and fisheries sectors also achieved significant growth in the outgoing year.
Fish production reached the highest ever 3.55 million tonnes in the financial year (FY)'14, according to the Department of Fisheries (DoF).
The poultry sector recovered from the bird flu crisis as the disease almost disappeared in 2014. This helped increase production by nearly 15 per cent in 2014 compared to that of 2013, Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee convener Moshiur Rahman said.
He said due to political turbulence, the sector had incurred losses to the tune of nearly Tk40 billion in 2013.
Mr Moshiur Rahman, however, was wary of the looming political developments in the new year 2015.
However, better prices of crops helped boost both farm and non-farm sectors in rural areas.
With the rise in purchasing power of farmers, agro-processing industries, farm equipment and inputs, housing and construction materials, mobile and electronics, clothing and private clinics have seen a boom in the outgoing year, sector insiders have said.
According to the Bangladesh Agricultural Machineries Merchants Association, sale of power tillers stood at 25,000 units in 2014 (till November). The figure was less than 15,000 units in 2013.
Sales of thrashing machines, new harvesting equipment etc also increased in 2014, according to the association data.
SA Kader Kiron, President of the Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity, the biggest platform of the country's shop owners, told the FE that 2013 was a nightmare for the shop owners following nearly 100 days of hartals and blockades.
He said more than 2.6 million shops are now members of the Samity and of them, 30 per cent are in rural areas.
He said sales during the two Eids and Durga Puja increased nearly by 20 per cent in 2014, compared to those in 2013.
"In 2014, rural shop-owners got some room to recoup the losses they incurred last year. Better prices of crops helped raise sales in villages," he said.
Mr Kiron also expressed his fear over the current political turbulence.
However, agro-product export also achieved a 15 per cent growth in the FY'14.
According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data, the country exported agricultural products worth US $615 million in the FY'14.
Farm economist ASM Golam Hafiz Kennedy said the condition of the agricultural economy, both farm and non-farm, was better in 2014 compared to that of 2013.
"Agriculture and service sectors achieved 3.35 per cent and 5.8 per cent growth respectively in the FY'14. The first six months of the current calendar year (January-June 2014) contributed the highest," he said.
He said the two sectors grew 2.4 per cent and 5.5 per cent respectively in the FY'13.
"But, investment in manufacturing industries is still very low in rural areas," he said.
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