Falling prices frustrate N region Boro croppers
Friday, 20 March 2009
SM Jahangir
back from northern districts
The lush-green 'Boro' fields in the country's northern region hardly make the farmers smile, as they are doubtful about recouping their cultivation costs against the backdrop of falling prices of the staple.
While expressing their satisfaction over the present state of the rice fields, many of the Boro cultivators at the same time are fearing further fall in prices of both paddy and rice after the harvest of their prime crop.
"We are already upset because of a drastic fall in prices of rice and paddy, it will simply be disastrous for us if the prices go down below the production costs after the harvest of the Boro crop," said Haji Abdus Salam, a farmer at Tonipara village under Bogra district.
On the one hand, the prices of both rice and paddy have fallen significantly over the last few months and, on the other hand, the overall cultivation cost has gone up considerably for the current Boro crop, he said.
Paddy is now selling between Tk 460 and Tk 470 per maund in the local markets; the prices ranged between Tk 650 and Tk 670 per maund just before harvest of the last 'Aman' crop, said Haji Abdus Salam, who has planted Boro on eight bighas of land.
A farmer will have to bear an additional cost of Tk 1500 for cultivating Boro on one acre of land due mainly to the increase in irrigation cost and fertiliser prices, farmers of the same village said.
According to the farmers, they will have to spend at least Tk 7500 for cultivating Boro crop on an acre of land. The cost was calculated at about Tk 6,000 in the last Boro season.
Md Alamgir Hossain, another farmer, said he will have to pay Tk 800 for irrigating one acre of Boro land this season, which is up by Tk 200 from that of last year. Besides, his cost of using fertilizers, especially urea, has also gone up significantly.
He went on: " I have to spend simply double the cost on account of using urea fertiliser as the government enhanced the official selling prices of the main agricultural input recently."
Besides, the prices of other non-urea fertilisers including TSP still remain much higher than last year's prices even after payment of a huge amount of subsidy (about Tk 27 billion) by the government.
Given the current market prices of rice and paddy, farmers could either be in a break-even position or make a marginal profit from their current Boro crop, said the farmers of the northern areas -- the country's major rice cropping zone.
A good number of farmers cautioned if the prices of rice and paddy fall below the production costs, it would not be possible for them to continue Boro cultivation next season.
Like the farmers of Tonipara area, rice growers of Rangpur district also expressed their dissatisfaction over the falling prices of their produces.
Md Julhas Sarker at Chithali Dakkhin Para village said he spent around Tk 12,000 for growing 28 maunds of Aman paddy on about 1.7 bighas of land. But the total market price of his crop was Tk 13,500, Julhas added.
"I have planted Boro on one acre of land but I am quite doubtful about recouping my investment as the overall cultivation costs have substantially increased this year," Julhas said.
He further said: "If the prices of paddy/rice fall again, I have to suffer a loss."
Taking the falling market prices and increased cultivation costs into account, farmers of the country's northern region sought necessary input supports from the government.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Bogra, Md Roustam Ali expressed his satisfaction over the state of the current Boro plants.
He said, "We are expecting a better crop this year also unless any natural calamity occurs."
About 197,000 hectares of land have come under Boro cultivation in Bogra district this year against the target of 190,650 hectares, he said, adding that the rice production target has been fixed at 873,058 tonnes for the current Boro season.
Admitting the increase in cultivation costs, Mr. Ali stressed the need for reduction of input costs to help lower the country's rice production costs.
He also underscored the need for a planned and optimum use of the country's land for the sake of coping with the growth in demand for food-grain and other agro-produce.
The government has set the country's Boro production target at 18 million tonnes this season. To achieve the target, the DAE earlier earmarked over 4.6 million hectares of land for Boro plantation this year.
back from northern districts
The lush-green 'Boro' fields in the country's northern region hardly make the farmers smile, as they are doubtful about recouping their cultivation costs against the backdrop of falling prices of the staple.
While expressing their satisfaction over the present state of the rice fields, many of the Boro cultivators at the same time are fearing further fall in prices of both paddy and rice after the harvest of their prime crop.
"We are already upset because of a drastic fall in prices of rice and paddy, it will simply be disastrous for us if the prices go down below the production costs after the harvest of the Boro crop," said Haji Abdus Salam, a farmer at Tonipara village under Bogra district.
On the one hand, the prices of both rice and paddy have fallen significantly over the last few months and, on the other hand, the overall cultivation cost has gone up considerably for the current Boro crop, he said.
Paddy is now selling between Tk 460 and Tk 470 per maund in the local markets; the prices ranged between Tk 650 and Tk 670 per maund just before harvest of the last 'Aman' crop, said Haji Abdus Salam, who has planted Boro on eight bighas of land.
A farmer will have to bear an additional cost of Tk 1500 for cultivating Boro on one acre of land due mainly to the increase in irrigation cost and fertiliser prices, farmers of the same village said.
According to the farmers, they will have to spend at least Tk 7500 for cultivating Boro crop on an acre of land. The cost was calculated at about Tk 6,000 in the last Boro season.
Md Alamgir Hossain, another farmer, said he will have to pay Tk 800 for irrigating one acre of Boro land this season, which is up by Tk 200 from that of last year. Besides, his cost of using fertilizers, especially urea, has also gone up significantly.
He went on: " I have to spend simply double the cost on account of using urea fertiliser as the government enhanced the official selling prices of the main agricultural input recently."
Besides, the prices of other non-urea fertilisers including TSP still remain much higher than last year's prices even after payment of a huge amount of subsidy (about Tk 27 billion) by the government.
Given the current market prices of rice and paddy, farmers could either be in a break-even position or make a marginal profit from their current Boro crop, said the farmers of the northern areas -- the country's major rice cropping zone.
A good number of farmers cautioned if the prices of rice and paddy fall below the production costs, it would not be possible for them to continue Boro cultivation next season.
Like the farmers of Tonipara area, rice growers of Rangpur district also expressed their dissatisfaction over the falling prices of their produces.
Md Julhas Sarker at Chithali Dakkhin Para village said he spent around Tk 12,000 for growing 28 maunds of Aman paddy on about 1.7 bighas of land. But the total market price of his crop was Tk 13,500, Julhas added.
"I have planted Boro on one acre of land but I am quite doubtful about recouping my investment as the overall cultivation costs have substantially increased this year," Julhas said.
He further said: "If the prices of paddy/rice fall again, I have to suffer a loss."
Taking the falling market prices and increased cultivation costs into account, farmers of the country's northern region sought necessary input supports from the government.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Bogra, Md Roustam Ali expressed his satisfaction over the state of the current Boro plants.
He said, "We are expecting a better crop this year also unless any natural calamity occurs."
About 197,000 hectares of land have come under Boro cultivation in Bogra district this year against the target of 190,650 hectares, he said, adding that the rice production target has been fixed at 873,058 tonnes for the current Boro season.
Admitting the increase in cultivation costs, Mr. Ali stressed the need for reduction of input costs to help lower the country's rice production costs.
He also underscored the need for a planned and optimum use of the country's land for the sake of coping with the growth in demand for food-grain and other agro-produce.
The government has set the country's Boro production target at 18 million tonnes this season. To achieve the target, the DAE earlier earmarked over 4.6 million hectares of land for Boro plantation this year.