Farmers under the nine upazilas of Faridpur are suffering from increased prices of agriculture essentials and inputs, coupled with fast shrinking of arable land, which experts fear could affect the district’s agricultural production.
Prices of seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides, diesel to run water pumps, and other necessary inputs have recently soared. Lack of irrigation facilities has also become a constant irritant.
Farmers living in faraway char areas of Alfadanga, Charvadrasan, Sadarpur and Sadar upazilas are the worst victims of the price hike.
According to sources, more than 70% of the district’s population depend on agriculture for their livelihood, of which 50% are marginal farmers, and the rest landowners. With the growth of the population, arable land has decreased to make way for residential and commercial purposes.
Marginal farmers, especially those in chars, are finding it hard to come to terms with the challenges of costing. High prices mean they cannot buy enough input of fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, and bullocks to till their land. They are also being deprived of irrigation facilities since they cannot pay enough or in time.
Almost all the char areas of the district are running short of water, leaving a large area of boro land without irrigation.
Sources said many natural sources of water, such as ponds, rivers and canals have dried up.; farmers have to depend on deep, underground sources. But because of erratic power supply and high prices of diesel, irrigation facilities cannot be kept fully operational.
The production of IRRI and boro in the district may not meet targets due to these power issues.
Some farmers in Boalmari, Alfadanga and Faridpur Sadar upazilas said they cannot purchase enough diesel, mobil and fertilisers because of their high prices. Furthermore, they cannot recoup their losses after production, as they are not getting fair prices for their produce in the market.
