The government must embark on a well-designed vegetable supply chain to ensure a fair price and protect the quickly putrefied agri-food from rotting, experts say.
President of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Ghulam Rahman told The Bangladesh Post that, “The government should fix a rate for the farmers through which their production cost, labor charge, and profit can be ensured. If the farmers do not get their fair price for production then they will reduce cultivation."
While the farmers are being deprived of getting a fair price from their produced vegetables, the consumers are buying the same essentials at a high rate.
On the other hand, local traders in association with the middlemen are making money in many ways under the nose of authority concerned and different watchdogs.
“We most farmers here have to sell our various agir-products like vegetables at lower prices to local traders on different grounds. Besides, an unholy nexus of middlemen and dishonest traders are also engaged in manipulating the market. They often compel us to sell our products at a lower rate,” farmers of different districts gave a similar statement.
Far from making a profit by producing vegetables, the cost of production is not rising for the farmers. Farmers of the country are frustrated as they do not get fair price even after working hard.
The major sources of vegetables in the country are Jessore, Pabna, Bogra, Rajshahi, Natore, Panchagarh, and Kushtia. Based on our correspondent news it was learned that farmers at those districts, sell radish to hoarders at Tk two to Tk three which becomes Tk 30 to Tk 50 in the capital.
Similarly, farmers are selling beans at Tk 10 to Tk 12, which turns into Tk 30 to Tk 40 at the capital’s markets after exchanging different hands. Hoarders are purchasing cabbage at Tk 8 to Tk 15 from farmers, but till reaching to capital, it stands at Tk 35 to Tk 40, cauliflower at farmer level is Tk 10 to Tk 15, while in the kitchen market it is Tk 25 to Tk 35.
Apart from the profit, the reason behind the price difference between farmers to retailers is the exchange of middlemen and space rent, labor cost, transportation cost, extortion of police, municipality, and various organizations on the highway, ferry fare, etc.
Suppliers and dealers play the main role to fix the vegetable price to retailers level. Those who are investing, that is, middlemen, are making more profit while farmers are depriving regularly.
If an appropriate network is established across the country, it will cover the entire chain of activities from production on the farmland to processing, distribution, and retailing to the consumers.
And a coordinated supply can only provide producers access to markets, making the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of rural communities alive.
Ghulam Rahman said, “If the government ensures the fastest transport of goods and makes available storage houses for vegetables, it may help to bring relief among farmers.”
To ensure a fair price by demolishing middlemen between consumers and farmers, the government is going to set up 'Farmer's Market' in every district of the country.
Farmers will be able to sell their agricultural products directly in these markets without paying any single penny. The government will even provide transport assistance to bring goods from farmers' homes to these markets.
According to the agricultural ministry and department of agriculture marketing (DAM), at the early stage, the government will make temporary makeshift arrangements. Following its response, light infrastructure would be constructed. Gradually those will get a permanent position.
DAM director-general Mohammad Yousuf told media that, "The government is strict in the production and marketing of agricultural products including vegetables. The government is emphasizing on selling safe agricultural products in the market by determining the cost of production."
He thinks it is possible to control the market if the syndicate can be removed and the gap between wholesale and retail prices can be reduced.
