Good yield of garlic in Dinajpur this season

Dinajpur has seen a good yield of garlic this season. Farmers are spending busy time harvesting and preparing garlic for sale from their lands. However, despite good production, many are not satisfied with the prices. While selling garlic from the field at Tk 80 to 90 per kg, the same garlic is being sold in the market at Tk 120. As a result, producers are not seeing any profit, rather middlemen are benefiting. Visiting the Dakshin Agra, Kachinia and Bhabki areas of Dinajpur, it was seen that garlic harvesting is going on simultaneously in many lands.

All members of the family—women, men, and even children—are taking part in collecting garlic. That garlic is being taken from home to the market for sale. Gojen Karmakar, a farmer from the Agra area, said, "I bought seeds at Tk 12,000 per maund. Fertilizer, pesticide, ploughing and everything else cost several thousand more taka. But the price at which I am selling will result in a loss." Md Selim, a farmer from the same area, said, "Production costs are higher this year. But the yield is good. However, we are not getting the price. Cultivating one bigha costs about one and a half lakh taka.

If one bigha yields 50 maunds, according to the current market, a maund comes to Tk 3,200. Calculating that, it comes to Tk 1,60,000. So where is our profit? However, if imports remain suspended during this time, a good price can be obtained." Kebal Karmakar, a farmer from the Bhabki area, said, "In previous years, we could sell for Tk 110-120. The price is low this year. Once our sales are over, it will be seen that the price in the market has increased. Actually, traders take from us, hoard and sell at higher prices. That is why we do not get the price."

Mominul Islam, a farmer from the Dakshin Agra area, said, "But in the market, it is sold retail at Tk 120. Yet when we go to sell, we do not get the price. A maund is selling from Tk 3,200 to 4,000. It is sorted into three grades. Large, medium and small. Small garlic has a lower price. Actually, selling garlic at this price brings no profit." Habibor Rahman, a farmer from the Kachinia area, said, "In previous years, a maund was Tk 6,000 to 7,000. But the price is low this year. Farmers are making no profit. The farmer remains a farmer. Traders are the ones who profit.

Jafar Iqbal, acting deputy director of the Dinajpur District Department of Agricultural Extension, said, "This year, garlic has been cultivated on 3,876 hectares of land in the district, from which 41,085 metric tons will be produced. However, the price is a bit low now. The price will increase within the next few days. Because Eid-ul-Adha is ahead. Farmers can dry and keep garlic during this time. They can sell when the price increases in the market. They can also use this preserved garlic as seeds in the subsequent season."

Farmers demand that if imports in the market remain stopped and fair prices are ensured, they will once again be interested in profitable garlic cultivation. Source: Bangla Tribune