With the harvesting going on in full swing, farmers across the northern region are unhappy as Aman paddy prices have fallen this season despite higher production costs and widespread yield losses triggered by early-November rainfall.
Growers in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions said that heavy rainfall in the first week of November waterlogged many fields, sending paddy under water in many places and reducing yields鈥攁 setback that comes amid a sharp rise in input costs compared with last year.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, the two-day rain spell earlier this month damaged crops on 19,568 hectares of farmland in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore and Chapainawabganj districts, causing an estimated loss of Tk 131.31 crore.
The DAE data shows that crops on 1,649 hectares were completely destroyed, while on another 13,860 hectares were partially affected.
Aman paddy suffered the worst blow, with plants on 585 hectares fully destroyed and that on 12,501 hectares partially damaged.
Farmers said that they had expected high prices because of reduced output, but early market oversupply and traders鈥� syndicates had left no way for them but sell the crops at low prices.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, aman paddy has been cultivated on 4.10 lakh hectres of land in four districts, Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj in the current season.
Till Thursday, about 29 per cent paddy was harvested.
On Saturday, coarse paddy, which is the most widely cultivated variety, sold for Tk聽950鈥�1,050 (wet) and Tk 1,000鈥�1,200 (dry) per maund in local markets, while fine katarivog paddy fetched Tk 1,400鈥�1,600.
Farmers said that they got Tk聽200鈥�250聽more per maund last year.
Production costs, they added, increased for fertiliser, pesticides, irrigation, transport and labour, worsening their financial strain.
Sohag Islam, a farmer from Durgapur upazila, described the situation as a 鈥榙ouble blow鈥�.
鈥楾he yield is lower and the price is also low. Our expenses keep rising, but selling paddy does not even cover production costs. Repaying debts is becoming very difficult,鈥� he said.
Nur Mohammad, an award-winning farmer from Tanore, said that small and marginal growers were being hit the hardest.
鈥楤usinessmen are stocking up paddy. They aren鈥檛 paying the actual price. As small and marginal growers took loans for cultivation, they must sell the crops to repay their loans. Businessmen are utilising that opportunity,鈥� he said.
He added that the government鈥檚 decision to reduce its procurement price鈥攆rom Tk 36 to Tk 34 per kilogram鈥攈ad intensified farmers鈥� worries.
鈥楪overnment centres also require strict moisture levels. Farmers bring freshly harvested paddy and cannot meet those conditions. So they can neither sell to the government nor get a good price in the open market,鈥� he said.
Shahana Akhter Jahan, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Marketing, Rajshahi division, told 抖阴精品 that rain-related losses had reduced yields in several pockets, but prices typically fluctuated when early harvests reached markets.
She said that farmers might be able to get a good price if they could store the crop for a little longer.
Farmers, however, fear that if prices do not improve soon, many will slip deeper into debt and face difficulties preparing land for the upcoming robi season.
