Low price puts a damper on Cox's Bazar salt farmers' joy

COX'S BAZAR, Feb 26: Higher production of salt has brought delight to the farmers in Chattogram and Cox's Bazar this season though they are dismayed over possible low price of their produce.
Due to favorable weather condition in the current season, growers have received relatively a better yield of salt in Banshkhali of Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, much to their joy and enthusiasm. On the contrary, the farmers see a prospect of low price of salt in both the districts, to their dismay as well.
A total of 39,487 farmers have cultivated salt in the districts with a production target of 25,28,000 tonnes in the current season.
Due to good profit in the last fiscal year, the farmers cultivated salt on 66,424 acres of land with great enthusiasm this season.
It will be possible to meet the salt production target if the weather condition remains favourable in late February and March-April.
Industry insiders said since the beginning of the current season (October 30), the total salt production in the coastal areas of Banshkhali and Cox's Bazar till February 17 has been 4,49,177 tonnes.
Apart from Chattogram's Banshkhali, the coastal areas of Cox's Bazar district include Maheshkhali, Kutubdia, Chakria, Pekua, Eidgaon, Teknaf and Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila.
Mohammad Abul Kashem, a salt farmer of Dhalghata area of Maheshkhali upazila, said, "I have cultivated salt taking loan from bank to make a living for my seven-member family. I can't do anything else. So every year I try to make a living by cultivating salt. Last year I could not make a good profit by selling salt."
"If for some reason salt is imported during the off season, there is a fear of not getting a fair price for the produce. If that happens, we will have no option but to cry," he added.
Stakeholders claim that a middleman can arrange import of salt by misleading the higher echelons of the government. If this happens, the salt industry, the only self-sufficient sector of the country, will be affected.
After the end of paddy harvest, salt farming activities has started. Thousands of farmers have come to the fields with the hope of getting a fair price for salt. They started salt cultivation in the fields with workers and necessary accessories.
At the beginning of the season, salt was first harvested in Chattogram's Banshkhali and Cox's Bazar's Kutubdia upazilas.
In Dhalghata area of Maheshkhali upazila, farmers were seen busy working in fields.
As the weather condition is favorable, they are happily spending time in salt production.
Salt farmer Faisal Uddin said intense heat continues from morning to afternoon and it is high time for salt production.
Farmers and traders said that Cox's Bazar district and Banshkhali are the salt producing belts in the country. After meeting the local demand, it is possible to export salt abroad.
But a group of brokers misled the government and import salt harming the local industry.
In the current season, land has to be leased for Tk75,000 per acre while Tk1,10,000 is needed as labour cost. Till the end of the season, food, polythene and other accessories will cost Tk 100,000.
If the weather condition remains favorable, it is possible to produce 750 maunds of salt per acre. If it is possible to sell salt at an average price of Tk 500 per acre from the beginning to the end of the season, the income from salt will be Tk 3,75,000.
The growers are in apprehension that if the price of salt goes down for any reason, all the farmers will face financial loss.
"Salt is the only commodity that is produced in sufficient quantity to meet the demand in the country. Therefore, I hope the government will ensure that no one gets the opportunity to import salt from abroad on false information," said a farmer.
Zafar Iqbal Bhuiyan, deputy general manager, Salt Industry Development Office of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Development Corporation (BCIC) in Cox's Bazar, said, in the 2023-2024 season, the demand for salt in the country is 25.28 million tonnes.
At the beginning of the season, salt reserves at the field level were 1.6 million tonnes. As of February 17, the average price of crude salt at the farmer level is Tk390 per maund.
Now the weather is very good and salt production is also good so target can be achieved if the weather is favorable.
BSIC has large salt centres at Lemshi Khali in Kutubdia, North Nalbila, Gorakghata in Maheshkhali, Matarbari, Gomatli in Eidgaon, Chauphaldandi in Sadar, Darbeshkata in Pekua, Dulahazara and Phulchhari in Chakria, Teknaf and Purvo Baraghona in Banshkhali.

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