NALITABARI, SHERPUR, May 7: Boro farmers in Nalitabari Upazila of the district are worried about fair prices.
This year Boro Paddy has yielded good in the upazila. The paddy harvesting has been going on in different areas in the upazila for the last several days.
According to sources at the Upazila Agriculture Office, Boro paddy was cultivated on 23,127 hectares (ha) of land at Nalitabari, with a rice production target of 1,38,762 Metric Tons (MT).
At present the paddy cutting is taking place at a thin pace as many fields are still in maturing stage. Farmers said, the cutting will start in full swing in the next one week.
Farmers are also in fear of hailstorm and Norweaster. If these natural disasters don hit, they are hopeful for bringing their golden produce to their homes.
A farmer of Andharupara Village at Pouragaon Union Shamsul Haq said, "I have cultivated Boro on two acres of land; the yielding has been very good; but the cultivation cost was higher due to increased prices of fertiliser, insecticide, irrigation and others."
The government has fixed per maund of new Boro paddy at Tk 1,200; at present half-dry Boro paddy is selling at Tk 800-900; this price is not adjusted to the farming cost; besides, farmers never get prices of paddy at the government rate.
Now, farmers demand per maund Boro paddy price at Tk 1,600.
Nalitabari Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdul Wadud confirmed the Boro cultivation on 23,127 ha of land at Nalitabari, with the rice production target of 1,38,762 MT.
If there is no natural disaster in coming days, the rice production will exceed the target, he added.
About fair price claim of farmers, he further said, at present dry paddy is not selling at bazaars; so the price is a bit less.
They will, of course, get fair price of dry paddy, the official maintained.
