Farmers are dismayed as the price has come down again just a week after the fair price of salt was confirmed. They say that the price of daily necessities is increasing day by day but the price of the most essential commodity salt is decreasing day by day. Because of this, there has been extreme disappointment among the salt farmers and traders.
Farmers and businessmen made this complaint in a discussion meeting on Molla Salt and Molla Super Salt with salt farmers in the hall room of a star hotel in Cox's Bazar on Thursday afternoon.
In the discussion meeting, mill owners, salt traders and farmers felt that although the last season was the highest production in the history of 61 years, it was slightly less than the country's demand. But this time, the stakeholders are expecting more production than the demand.
In front of the slogan of 'unbreakable bond rich journey', Zamir Hossain, a salt grower and businessman of Dulahazara of Cox's Bazar, Chhaber Ahmad, Md. Shahidul Islam, Abu Qaishar, Abdul Malek of Maheshkhali, Sarwar Alam of Chakria Badarkhali area, Zafar Alam member, among others spoke in the discussion meeting. Teknaf area salt farmer Abdus Salam, Md Russell, Banshkhali Md Osman and Bangladesh Salt Farmers Association President Mustafa Kamal.
Mostafa Kamal Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh Salt Cultivators Association, said, "We are not ready to face the loss of profit as an optimist." I suggested to the government that the price should be fixed by looking at the salt in the field. If the right price can be determined, salt farming will not stop.
Salt grower Abu Qaiser said, if you stop buying salt, we will suffer a big loss. Many times we purchase from the field and give it to you. The price of salt field increased a few days ago, but now suddenly the price of salt has decreased at the field level. A sudden fall in the price of salt will cause a huge loss to the farmers.
Maheshkhali salt farmer Sarwar Alam said that the demand for white salt has increased in the field. By using polythene we get this white salt. Due to the use of polythene, the price of white salt is slightly higher. On the other hand, tides have been affected due to flooding of the river.
Zafar Alam, a salt farmer, said, "Now our cost of salt production has increased, so big companies should be careful not to stop salt farming." Salt should be purchased from the field at a fair price.
Abdur Rahim Company, a salt grower in Badarkhali area of Chakria, said that the price of essential commodities is increasing every day, but the price of salt is decreasing day by day. This makes us helpless.
Mamunur Rashid, assistant manager of Molla Salt, said that the quality of salt production should be increased. Especially the grain of salt should be reduced by reducing the water in the salt.
Md. Mizanur Rahman, managing director of Molla Salt, said that the salt should be made white. Salt production is good in various countries including India, Australia. This again naturally improves soil quality.
He also said that there is a lot of processing of salt from the field. This requires proper training. If India can produce good salt, why can't we? He asked questions.
Molla Salt Group Managing Director Mizanur Rahman Molla, General Manager Vidyut Chandra Gupta, Abdul Mannan, Assistant General Manager Jahangir Alam, Senior General Manager Helal Uddin, Bangladesh Salt Farmers Association President Mostafa Kamal Chowdhury, Assistant General Manager Mamunur Rashid and others spoke on the occasion. .
According to the information given by BCIC, last season the target of salt production was 23 lakh 57 thousand tons, against which the production was about 18 lakh 32 thousand tons. This time the production target is 23 lakh 85 thousand tons. Last season, salt was cultivated on 63 thousand 291 acres of land, which is about 66 and a half thousand acres this year.