Farmers in Hobiganj are facing difficulties in cultivating Boro paddy as the prices of diesel and fertilser have increased to a great extend since the begging of the countrywide political unrest last month.
Boro paddy growers are apprehending that they would not be able to achieve production target because they were not properly nourishing their paddy field for lack of water and fertiliser.
The prices of both urea and non-urea fertilisers and diesel have rised as those transportation are being hampered for the non-stop blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance since January 6, local sources said.
Officials of Department of Agricultural Extension, however, said they had achieved 80% success in bringing land under the cultivation of boro.
The DAE sources said there was no reason to be concerned as the necessary supplies would timely reach the farmers under protection of law enforcement agencies.
The price of fertilisers has increased by Tk5 to Tk10 per kg at retail while the price of diesel shoot up by Tk3 to Tk5 per litre, farmers said.
Agriculturalists said the production cost might increase by about 20% due to abrupt hike in the agri-inputs.
According to the DAE, a total of 109,000 hactares of land have been brought under boro cultivation this year.
Farmers told the Dhaka Tribune that taking the advantage of the ongoing political, traders increased the prices of diesel and fertiliser.
Farmers said if they bought the agri-inputs which prices had been increased logically, the production cost of boro would increased in such level that they would not be able to make profit selling the food grains after harvest.
Anjab Ali, a resident of Bohula village under Sadar upazila, said: “I have cultivated boro on my 17 acres of land this year. If I apply fertiliser on my field, I have to spend extra money which is a burden for me.”
Abdul Mannaf, a resident of the same village, said in the pretext of hartal and blockade fertiliser dealers had increased the prices of the agri-inputs.
He also urged the government to look into the matter to ease the sufferings of paddy growers.
Aliur Rahman, a dealer of fertiliser and diesel, told the Dhaka Tribune that transport workers are not interested to come to the district with the agri-inputs amid life risk during the ongoing political turmoil.
“We have to count Tk2 to Tk3 for per litre diesel and per kiligram fertiliser.”
He also said as they had to spend more money for buying the agri-inputs, they were asking additional money from paddy growers.
“When the situation will be normal, we will sell diesel and fertiliser at the government fixed rate.
Deputy Director of the DAE Shah Alam told the Dhaka Tribune that hartal and blockade were not hampering transpiration of the agri-inputs. The supply of diesel and fertiliser was sufficient, so there is no scope for dealers to take extra price from paddy growers.
He also assured the correspondent that he would look into the matter.
He also said field-level officials were monitoring the entire situation.