Farmers in Rangpur are struggling to obtain fertilizers during the peak Aman rice season, alleging that traders are creating an artificial shortage and selling the products at inflated prices.
While farmers say they are being forced to pay above government-fixed rates, fertilizer dealers deny any major shortage, blaming inadequate allocations and unscrupulous retailers for supply disruptions.
A visit to fertilizer shops and warehouses from Shapla Chattar to Station Road in Rangpur city revealed substantial stocks of urea, Triple Superphosphate (TSP), and Muriate of Potash (MoP) fertilizers. However, traders failed to explain why farmers were unable to obtain fertilizers at government-fixed prices.
Fertilizer trader Alauddin said there was no shortage of urea, although allocations of MoP and DAP were insufficient to meet demand. He claimed that substantial stocks remained in warehouses.
Solaiman Ali, a fertilizer trader in the Lalbagh area, also denied any major shortage, alleging that unscrupulous retailers in rural markets were forming syndicates to create an artificial crisis.
Farmers in Tamphat, Mahiganj, Bairagiganj and other areas around Rangpur city, however, accused traders of withholding supplies or citing shortages to charge higher prices.
They warned that inadequate fertilizer application during this critical stage of cultivation could weaken rice plants and reduce yields. Unable to obtain supplies from authorised dealers, many said they had been forced to buy fertilizers from the open market at nearly double the government-fixed prices, increasing their production costs.
Robiul Islam, a farmer from Darshana in Ward 31 of Rangpur city, said he had cultivated Aman rice on eight acres of land and urgently needed TSP, MoP and DAP fertilizers. “When I visit fertilizer shops, I cannot get the supplies I need. Dealers say they have not received sufficient allocations to meet farmers' demand,” he said.
Emdadul Haque, a farmer from Nazir Digar village, expressed similar concerns, saying inadequate supplies of TSP, MoP and DAP during the peak season could weaken rice plants and reduce production.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension in Rangpur, the cultivation target for Aman rice this season was 166,950 hectares. The actual cultivated area exceeded the target by 10 hectares, while the production target was set at 548,861 metric tonnes of rice.
Mahamuda Khatun, additional deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Rangpur, denied any fertilizer shortage during the Aman season. She said authorities were continuing to take action against traders found selling fertilizers at prices above the government-fixed rates.
