Deprived of fair price Magura onion farmers feel dejected

MAGURA, Feb 9: Onion profit goes through the roof in Magura. It is now is being sold in the local market at high price. But marginal onion farmers are deprived of fair price as they now have no onion in their storehouse.
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Magura informed a total of 240 hectares of land was brought under onion cultivation in the district this season. A bumper production was achieved in the district which is 2560 mt.
When contacted Abu Taleb, a farmer of village Belnagar under Magura sadar upazila said. Onion is being sold in the retail market at Tk 38 to 40 per kg .at present. We sold onion to the whole salers at Tk 20 to 22 per kg one month ago.  But the price did not cover our production cost. If we were able to sell onion at present rate we would get profit. In fact whole salers have deprived us by making syndicate.
On contact  Akram Mollah a whole saler of Magura-Dhaka road area denied the allegation of making syndicate. He added, "We are dependent on imported onion for fulfilling our domestic demand. But due to blockade and hartal transport cost for importing onion has been increased. Consequently we are being compelled to sell onion at high rate."
When contacted, Magura DAE official Noabul Alam said, "Due to blockade onion price has gone up in the market. But most of the farmers in the district are deprived of this rate as they sold their onion one month ago.
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