Farmers demand adequate supply of fertiliser at subsidised rate
FE Report | Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Tobacco producing companies and farmers see a huge prospect of export of the item in near future as the demand has sharply increased in the international market.
Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Sweden, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Singapore are the main importers of Bangladesh tobacco leaf.
Industry insiders said Bangladesh has already confirmed tobacco leaf export order worth $ 31.15 million for the year to be ended December 31,2008 while it was $ 21.3 million in 2007.
Out of $ 31.15 million, a whopping $19.50 million will be fetched alone by British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB), the largest tobacco company in the country.
The company has already crossed Tk 1.0 billion-mark in the export of tobacco leaf for the first time in its history.
"We are going to streamline the operation of our Rangpur wing in the backdrop of the growing demand in international market but everything depends on the guaranteed supply of fertilizer at subsidised rate to the farmers," said Akhter Anwar Khan, regional leaf manager and leaf CORA manager of BATB.
Tobacco farmers of Lalmonirhat and Kushtia also urged the government to ensure adequate supply of fertiliser to them at subsidized rate.
During a visit by this correspondent in Lalmonirhat and Kushtia, farmers in the districts said as the price of the fertiliser has already gone up sharply, they are in deep frustration whether their income from tobacco cultivation in the upcoming season will be same like in the previous years.
Tobacco is the core agro crop of 200,201 farmers at 61,991 hectre areas in Rangpur, Kushtia, Meherpur, Jhedidaha, Chuadanga, Chittagong and Manikgonj areas.
The annual sales turnover of tobacco is Tk 3.75 billion in Kushtia region and Tk 500 million in Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram and Dinajpur.
Tobacco cultivation has brought a huge change in the socio economic life of tobacco farmers in the areas.
Farmers who did not own land one decade back, now have become owners of land and other valuable assets through cultivating tobacco for years.
"We urge the government to continue subsidy in fertiliser (urea and DAP) so that our livelihoods do not face any challenge in the near future," said Mizanur Rahman Khan, a tobacco farmer of Bahalbaria under Mirpur thana in Kushtia district.
Farmers of Paharpur and Sangrampur of Kushtia and Gilabari of Lalmonirhat expressed their optimism that the government will seriously consider the economic contribution of tobacco farmers and continue subsidy in the fertilizer like the other agro products.
Tobacco cultivation in greater Rangpur area remained stopped during the period between 1994 and 2002 but since 2003, the BATB began to resume the tobacco cultivation in the northern districts.
According to the latest annual report of BATB, the company exported leaf tobacco worth Tk 1.05 billion (8,680,180 kg) in 2007 against Tk 907.04 million in 2006.
The company exported 7.59 million kg leaf tobacco worth Tk 627.84 million in 2004 against 5.3 million kg worth Tk 480.30 million in 2003 and 2.2 million kg worth $ 4 million in 2002.
Apart from BATB, other companies in the tobacco industry include Dhaka Tobacco, Alpha Tobacco and Bangladesh Leaf Tobacco.
Of them, BAT, Alpha Tobacco and Bangladesh Leaf Tobacco are listed on stock exchanges.
Small tobacco factories like Kohinoor Tobacco, International Tobacco and Aga Tobacco are also doing business in Kushtia district.
Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Sweden, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Singapore are the main importers of Bangladesh tobacco leaf.
Industry insiders said Bangladesh has already confirmed tobacco leaf export order worth $ 31.15 million for the year to be ended December 31,2008 while it was $ 21.3 million in 2007.
Out of $ 31.15 million, a whopping $19.50 million will be fetched alone by British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB), the largest tobacco company in the country.
The company has already crossed Tk 1.0 billion-mark in the export of tobacco leaf for the first time in its history.
"We are going to streamline the operation of our Rangpur wing in the backdrop of the growing demand in international market but everything depends on the guaranteed supply of fertilizer at subsidised rate to the farmers," said Akhter Anwar Khan, regional leaf manager and leaf CORA manager of BATB.
Tobacco farmers of Lalmonirhat and Kushtia also urged the government to ensure adequate supply of fertiliser to them at subsidized rate.
During a visit by this correspondent in Lalmonirhat and Kushtia, farmers in the districts said as the price of the fertiliser has already gone up sharply, they are in deep frustration whether their income from tobacco cultivation in the upcoming season will be same like in the previous years.
Tobacco is the core agro crop of 200,201 farmers at 61,991 hectre areas in Rangpur, Kushtia, Meherpur, Jhedidaha, Chuadanga, Chittagong and Manikgonj areas.
The annual sales turnover of tobacco is Tk 3.75 billion in Kushtia region and Tk 500 million in Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram and Dinajpur.
Tobacco cultivation has brought a huge change in the socio economic life of tobacco farmers in the areas.
Farmers who did not own land one decade back, now have become owners of land and other valuable assets through cultivating tobacco for years.
"We urge the government to continue subsidy in fertiliser (urea and DAP) so that our livelihoods do not face any challenge in the near future," said Mizanur Rahman Khan, a tobacco farmer of Bahalbaria under Mirpur thana in Kushtia district.
Farmers of Paharpur and Sangrampur of Kushtia and Gilabari of Lalmonirhat expressed their optimism that the government will seriously consider the economic contribution of tobacco farmers and continue subsidy in the fertilizer like the other agro products.
Tobacco cultivation in greater Rangpur area remained stopped during the period between 1994 and 2002 but since 2003, the BATB began to resume the tobacco cultivation in the northern districts.
According to the latest annual report of BATB, the company exported leaf tobacco worth Tk 1.05 billion (8,680,180 kg) in 2007 against Tk 907.04 million in 2006.
The company exported 7.59 million kg leaf tobacco worth Tk 627.84 million in 2004 against 5.3 million kg worth Tk 480.30 million in 2003 and 2.2 million kg worth $ 4 million in 2002.
Apart from BATB, other companies in the tobacco industry include Dhaka Tobacco, Alpha Tobacco and Bangladesh Leaf Tobacco.
Of them, BAT, Alpha Tobacco and Bangladesh Leaf Tobacco are listed on stock exchanges.
Small tobacco factories like Kohinoor Tobacco, International Tobacco and Aga Tobacco are also doing business in Kushtia district.