Lack of fair price has made a noticeable dent in cultivation of wheat in Dinajpur, once known as the storehouse of grains.
Unavailability of good quality seeds is also to be blamed for the situation. For the sharp fall in wheat farming acreage, the crop is now being cultivated in mango or lichi orchards in the district.
Experts, however, are giving advice to the farmers about certain types of crops on their demand nationwide and suitability of land for their farming.
According to statistics, 120 to 130 maunds of maize is produced on one acre of land against 40 to 45 maunds of wheat on the same quantity of land.
During peak season, per maund wheat is sold at Tk 800 while per maund maize is available at Tk 600.
The statistics show that production of wheat on one acre of land costs Tk 36,000 while it takes Tk 78,000 to produce maize on the same quantity of land.
Farmers’ sources said due to lack of fair price and good seeds, they are losing interest gradually in cultivating the crop. They are getting inclined to cultivation of maize as an alternative to wheat.
Dinajpur Department of Agriculture Extension deputy director Anwarul Islam said wheat cultivation per acre of land is shrinking. Farmers are cultivating maize instead of wheat in absence of fair price of the latter.
Dinajpur Agricultural Product Price Commission member Zadab Chandra Roy said farmers will be interested in cultivating wheat if they get fair prices and good seeds.
He demanded government steps in this regard.
Dinajpur Wheat Research Centre’s chief scientific officer Dr Md Zahidul Islam Sarkar said wheat cultivation is needed to meet the country’s increasing demand for the cereal item, reports UNB.
Farmers are now feeling the pinch of lack of fair price and good seeds of wheat, he added.