The paddy farmers of haor upazilas Austagram, Itna, Mithamoin, and Nikli of Kishoreganj district are not getting a fair price of paddy in Chamraghat, Bhairab, and Ashuganj wholesale markets in this Boro paddy harvesting season. As a result, paddy farmers have been counting loss of Tk 150-250 per maund of paddy which will push them into financial trouble, according to media reports.
Boro farmers of haor areas have expressed their resentment about the unfair paddy price. Their disappointment comes when farmers go to the wholesale market to sell paddy. It has been reported that Kishoreganj is experiencing a bumper harvest of Boro paddy this year due to favourable weather conditions. Ahead of the boro harvesting Agriculture Minister Dr Mohammed Abdus Shahid had said that the price of rice would be fixed in such a way that farmers get a fair price.
Farmers sold one maund of paddy at Tk 1350 at the wholesale market last week to the rice millers. However, the millers are now compelling them (farmers) to sell paddy at Tk 1200 only per maund.
Millers are now
compelling them (farmers)
to sell paddy at Tk 1200
only per maund
The government is implementing activities including mechanisation of agriculture, providing subsidies in fertilizers, latest technologies and incentives to farmers to reduce production cost of crops and make farm activities more profitable. But, this time, the unfair price of paddy has turned the haor farmers unhappy.
They are now passing days thinking about how they will repay their loans from local lenders. The authorities concerned must take immediate action against the syndicate of unscrupulous millers and traders who are now active to manipulate the procurement of Boro paddy despite expecting a good production this year.
We have noticed over past years during the harvesting season, the middle-men and unscrupulous rice millers become active to gain through creating unfair situation. Therefore, the illegal hoarders and middlemen must be brought under strict surveillance in order to make sure that farmers would get fair price of paddy.
If they (farmers) get fair price they will also show keen interest to bring more land under Boro cultivation next season.
