The fate of the farmers was slapped when the prices of paddy and onion fall sharply in the markets of Jhenidah. The cultivation of the essential cash crops might be reduced in the next season if they could not receive optimum prices of the crops. But the onion of Sailkupa upazila in Jhenidah has been playing role in meeting the demand of onion in Khulna division, said the famers.
The farmers at most important paddy selling market at Sailkupa upazila headquarters said they were selling the paddy at Tk 750 to 800 hundred each maund of 40 kilograms of paddy. But the price stared falling when the newly harvested Boro paddy started rushing in the market.
Now each maund of the course variety Boro like Ratna is selling at Taka 550 to 560, while fine ones like BR 28 at Taka 630 to 650. Here the farmers receiving least Taka 150 to 170 on an average, they said.
Some onion farmers of Paikpara, Sondah and some other onion producing villages in the same upazila said they are receiving Taka 500 to 600 a maund of the spicy crop which was selling at Taka 750 to 850 a few weeks back. The farmers are spending about Taka 50 a maund for transportation of the crop, they said.
Farmer Amirul Islam of Paikpara said hundreds of farmers were changing their lots by cultivating the onion for past couple of years. They are meeting the demand of the crop every year and playing role in onion farming in Khulna division.
But the present price of the crop has slapped on the fates as it could not even meet the production cost like seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, day labourer and irrigation water supply costs. It has broken the backbone of onion farmers in the district. The farmers of the district hoped that they might realize the optimum prices of the spicy crop targeting the Ramadan and Eid Ul Fitr.
But they were disheartened following the price fall. The price falling tendency might reduce the onion farming in the next seasons if the farmers could not receive the optimum price, they said.
According to a source related to the office of the deputy director of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Jhenidah, the farmers of the district brought a total of 7,787 hectares of land in the district as against the target for 7,825 hectares.
Upazila wise breakup of the achievement of the area was 462 hectares in Jhenidah Sadar, 120 hectares in Kaliganj., 150 hectares in Kotchandpur, 590 hectares in Moheshpur, 6,155 hectares in Sailkupa and 310 hectares of land in Harinakundu upazila. The Sailkaupa farmers brought major lad for 6,155 hectares in the district, DAE sources said.
Contacted deputy director of the DAE in Jhenidah GM Abdur Rauf said they have been playing role in farming the crops using modern technology and machineries, using improved variety of seeds, application of balance fertilizer and providing training to the farmers for safe food production.
Admitting the least price of the most important spicy crops like onion, the DAE official said the farmers of the district have been producing better crops when the government has been providing subsidies on fertilizer and other incentives to the farmers to strengthen their socio-economic base.
The DAE has been advising the farmers to cultivate profitable crops as they desire for survival as they are aware enough about their interest, deputy director said.
