Despite ample production, vegetable farmers in Thakurgaon district are counting losses because of the ongoing blockade and hartal enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance from January 5.
Prices of vegetables have fallen drastically in the local market. Because of increased transport fares, the farmers are selling their products at dirt cheap rates to the wholesalers.
During a visit to Gobinda Nagar, the largest vegetable wholesale market in the district, it was found that potatoes were selling at Tk5 per kilogramme, cauliflowers at Tk8/piece, tomatoes at Tk10/kg, cucumbers at Tk12/kg, chillies at Tk20/kg, eggplants at Tk10/kg, carrots at Tk7/kg, onions at Tk28/kg, garlic at Tk60/kg, ginger at Tk160/kg, and cabbage at Tk3/piece.
Potato farmer Abdul Ali, who came to the wholesale market from Auliapur union, said: “Tk10,000-12,000 was spent on producing potatoes on one bigha land. Now we are selling the same amount at Tk7,000.”
Farmer Sahabul Islam said: “Tk13 is being spent to produce one head of cauliflower. Now we are selling it at Tk5-6 .”
A buyer at the market, Rahmat, said: Tk22,000 was the fare for one truck for carrying vegetables. After the blockade started, the rate soared to Tk35,000-40,000. Truck driver Shakerullah said the owners of trucks fear to bring out their trucks on streets. So they are charging a greater fare.
He added that the drivers also charge the owners extra, as they drive the trucks at night, risking their lives. Previously they used to get a monthly salary of Tk2,000 which now stands at Tk5,000-8,000.
Besides, the drivers have to pay extortion money to different labour organisations and police during night, he claimed.
“Otherwise, police will not provide us with security,” he said.
Shahdat, a labour leader, said: “During the ongoing political unrest, the truck drivers and helpers are falling victim to the arson and petrol bomb attacks. They are going out with vehicles onto the streets only to earn a living.”
He added: “We do not want to charge more. But during a blockade, there is no other way.”
Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension at Thakurgaon office Zaherul Islam said, every year, vegetables worth Tk425 crore are produced on 12,000 hectres of land in Thakurgaon. The vegetables amount to 3.15 metric tonnes at the end of the year. Among these, 200,000 metric tonnes of vegetables are sold inside the district, while the rest are supplied outside the district.
