Low aus price frustrates Moulvibazar farmers

Despite this year's bumper production of aus paddy, low crop prices have farmers in Moulvibazar worried. Whereas last year the selling price per maund at local markets was as high as Tk 700, this year paddy is selling at Tk 300 – 350 per maund. Fearing financial loss, the hefty price fall has farmers reluctant even to harvest the paddy.

"We are losing money because the aus prices in the market are so low," says Kamal Uddin of Gobindopur village under Kamalganj upazila. Farmers have expended around Tk 8,000 per bigha of land in aus cultivation but the approximately 18 maunds of paddy produced fetches at most Tk 6,000 at today's prices.

"The government is not buying aus paddy from the local market," says farmer Hafizur Rahman of Mutrapur village, "which means that private buyers can fix selling rates that are wholly favourable to themselves. Local farmers will soon lose interest in aus cultivation altogether, without government incentives such as good market prices, fertilizer subsidies and other inputs."

Kamalganj upazila agriculture officer Md Shamsuddin Ahmed says that locally, about 10,800 hectares were brought under aus cultivation this year. Ironically production levels have been rather pleasing due to timely rainfall, he adds.

"Aus paddy has grown very well because of favourable weather conditions," says Abul Kalam Chowdhury, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension's Moulvibazar office. "Besides, the use of murate of potash fertilizers has benefited farmers. It's unfortunate that in such circumstances prices have fallen so dramatically."

The dismay of falling prices in Kamalganj is shared by farmers across the district, with 42, 220 hectares having been devoted to aus paddy districtwide, only to meet similarly depressed selling rates.