Like the rest of the country, Barhatta upazila sees bumper Boro paddy yield across vast fields

Like the rest of the country, Barhatta upazila has seen a bumper Boro paddy yield across its vast fields this season. Farmers' dream golden paddy is smiling in the fields, grounds and courtyards. Growers started harvesting Boro paddy with great enthusiasm. But that joy has been dampened by the market price of paddy. At the prices prevailing in the market, let alone making a profit, farmers are failing to recover even the production cost. This has put the farmers in anxiety. From mid-Baishakh, new Boro paddy has started arriving at the shops of buyers and traders in various markets of Barhatta.

However, despite a good yield, there are no smiles on the faces of farmers. Due to the high prices of fertilizers, pesticides and other necessary agricultural inputs, increased labor wages, and extra irrigation bills caused by a lack of timely rain, the production costs do not match the returns for the farmers. Farmers said that in the current market, each maund of paddy is being sold at 900 to 950 Taka. Moreover, they have to give an extra 4-5 kg of paddy per maund when selling. After producing paddy with so much hard work, farmers are also facing harassment when trying to sell it.

Meanwhile, the government has fixed the price of dry paddy at 1,440 Taka. Visiting the paddy markets in person and talking to the farmers, they said that when they take paddy to the godowns, they face various types of harassment. First, they have to test the moisture of a paddy sample. Then, after taking the dried paddy to the same place, the people in charge of the godown make various excuses to harass them, such as saying the paddy in the upper sacks is good while the lower ones are wet, and so on.

Farmers Moznu Mia, Islam Uddin, Kartik Das, and Lalchan Mia, who came to sell paddy at various paddy trading shops (paddy godis) in the upazila headquarters market, said, We are selling paddy at 900 Taka per maund and have to give an extra 5 kg of paddy per maund. We are frustrated by this price of paddy in the market. Production costs have increased compared to last year. If the price of paddy is low, how will we survive? They further said, We do not find wholesalers to sell our paddy, and have to sell on credit. The price is also not good, and harvesting paddy involves extra costs; we do not know what is in store for us this time?

If we do not get even a fair price, poor farmers like us will not be able to repay our loans this time either. Upazila Food Controller Md. Delwar Hossain said that a list of 2,100 farmers has come from the agriculture office so far. They have applied to supply paddy to the godowns. In Barhatta upazila, 1,087 metric tons of paddy and 6,722 metric tons of rice will be procured across 2 food godowns. He said, I made public announcements through miking to the farmers a few days ago, but despite that, I have been able to procure only 1 ton of paddy so far.

Md. Humayun Kabir, Acting Officer of the Barhatta Food Godown, said that a list of 561 farmers from seven unions of the upazila has reached him so far. The formal paddy and rice procurement activities were inaugurated on the 27th of last month. So far, 1 ton of paddy has been procured from a farmer named Mostafa in Gumuria village of Asma union. Besides, no other farmer has come forward yet. If paddy is to be supplied to the godown, it cannot be accepted if the moisture is above 14%. That is perhaps why the farmers are reluctant.

However, he mentioned that 168 metric tons of rice have been procured so far. Barhatta Upazila Agriculture Officer Sharmin Sultana said, Our office has a moisture testing machine. If the farmer first brings a small sample of paddy to my place, it can be easily tested. If the moisture is 14%, there is no scope for harassment. When asked how many farmers have applied so far and whether there is still an opportunity to apply, she said that there are about 34,000 farmers in Barhatta upazila.

Among them, 1,616 farmers have applied to my office so far to supply paddy to the godown. I have already sent the list of applicants to the Upazila Food Controller. She stated that there is still an opportunity to apply. Source: Daily Sokaler Somoy