Boro cultivation kicks into gear amid fear of price fall

After harvesting a bumper output in the last boro season, farmers have started planting the crop amid fear of price debacle, triggered by continued imports.
The recent fall in the prices of aman crop in the domestic market has strengthened the apprehension, although the government is expecting a bumper output of 18.9 million tonnes this year in boro season.
The Department of Agriculture Extension data showed that the country saw a record production of 34.065 million tonnes in the FY'14, of which boro accounted for 18.9 million tonnes.
DAE director general A Z M Momtajul Karim said more than 70 per cent of the preparation of seedbed has been completed so fsar while plantation of seedling has started in a few parts of the country, especially in Haor areas.
"Adequate supply of quality seeds, fertiliser, and irrigation will help get another bumper crop this year," he said.  
However, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) officials said the corporation has distributed nearly 58,000 tonnes of seeds among the farmers this season so far.
But farmers across the country are oscillating between hope and despair over getting reasonable price in the boro harvesting season as prices of Aman crop, vegetable and few spice items prices are declining, posing a threat to the peasantry.   
Experts lambasted the unbridled import of rice and few other essentials in the peak harvesting season.
They suggested immediate ban on rice and onion import to protect the peasantry.
Md Arshadul Alam, a farmer at Kamarpukur under Saidpur upazila in Nilphamari district, said the price of Aman crop has fallen to Tk600-620 per maund (40 kg) recently, which was Tk680-720 per maund.
"The production cost is Tk 650-660 per maund this Aman season," he said.
"Millers are not buying paddy as Indian rice has flooded the market," he said.
Md Sirazul Islam, a farmer at Elahabad Union at Debidwar in Comilla, said prices of Aman crop fell to Tk 640-650 in Comilla recently, which was Tk700-720 per maund two weeks back.
Vegetable prices also decreased significantly this year, he said, adding a maund of radish has been sold at Tk 15-18 a few days back, he added.
Md Sirazul said that if the trend of aman continues in boro, they would be ruined.
Secretary of Bangladesh Auto, Major Husking Mill Owners' Association KM Layek Ali told the FE that 50 per cent of the mills have stopped milling this season following duty free import of rice from India.
The government has fixed rice price at Tk33 for us when importer are bringing rice at Tk26.5-27 per kg. "Can local millers compete with it?" he questioned.
He said to protect the local rice industry and farmers, the government should immediately impose ban or fix supplementary duty on rice import.
Farm economist Golam Hafiz Kennedy said the farmers incurred huge losses this year due to the twin spell of floods, which directly hit nearly 1.6 million farmers.
"After the losses in flood, the farmers have incurred loss in the current aman season. The onion growers are likely to get the same treatment in the peak harvesting season, which will start from the middle of next month," he said.
He said the government should impose ban on rice and onion import for indefinite time to ensure profitable price for farmers in the ongoing Aman harvesting season and in the upcoming boro reap.
The government data showed that private importers brought nearly 0.4 million tonnes in the first five months of the current financial year---8 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.
Bangladesh's rice demand is estimated at 31.0 million tonnes, and domestic production reached a record 34.0654 million tonnes of rice in FY'14.
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