sweep N-region markets

A Correspondent SIRAJGANJ, Dec 21: Low-quality Boro seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides have flooded the markets in 16 districts of northern region, cheating the farmers. As a consequence, hundreds of acres of fertile lands are losing fertility due to use of adulterated fertilisers and pesticides, farmers claimed. There are allegations that some dishonest officials of Agriculture Extension Department are involved in the adulteration and marketing of the products. Hence, none comes here to take action against the activities, sources said. According to the Agriculture Extension Department office sources, this year the target of Boro paddy cultivation has been fixed for 1728359 hectares of land in 16 districts in the region. At least 40 kg of seeds is required for each hectare of land. There is a need for about 69135 metric tonnes of Boro seeds to meet the demand. Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) provides only 10000 to 11000 metric tonnes of seeds and around 25000 metric tonnes comes from the farmers' self-production. The remaining 34000 metric tonnes is collected from local hats and bazars. Meanwhile, farmers of the region including greater Chalan Beel of Sirajganj, Pabna, Bogra and Natore districts are preparing for Boro farming. They are now busy with seedbeds. They have also started to collect chemical fertilisers, pesticides and seeds from local dealers and shops. They, however, are not getting high quality fertilisers, pesticides and seeds. As a result, they are apprehensive about the upcoming Boro project. While this correspondent talked with over a hundred farmers in Raiganj, Tarash, Ullapara, Shahzadpur and Kazipur upazila of Sirajganj district, Bonainagor, Faridpur, Bhangura, Chatmohor, Bera, Shathia and Sujanagore upazila in Pabna district and Sherpur, Dhunot, Nandigram and Dupchachia in Bogra district, they complained that low qualities of fertilisers, pesticides and seeds have flooded the markets in absence of proper monitoring by the concerned authorities and due to the prevalence of those low qualities of goods, they cannot purchase right ones. An official of Agriculture Extension Department in Sirajganj admitted the allegations and seeking anonymity said that they have no adequate manpower to monitor the markets.