COX'S BAZAR, Mar 13: Inclement weather along with rain in the first week of the month affected the salt farmers here.
Due to incessant rain on March 6, water washed away the salt from the salt harvesting fields in Maheshkhali, Kutubdia, Pekua, Chakaria, Teknaf and Sadar upazilas. ,
According to field sources, although weather is good now, the farmers are afraid of bad weather in the coming days, and they are also worried of salt price because the price of salt is still behind their expectation.
In the first week, one maund of salt was sold at Tk 170 to 180, and now per maund is selling at Tk 250. But it would be better for the farmers,
If they would get at least Tk 400 per maund, the sources added.
Some farmers said, water dissolved the white salt produced in polythene method which caused a huge loss.
They also said that during this year, 80 to 100 maunds of salt were produced. It'll take at least a week to harvest salt in the fields.
Rain has stopped the production for some time which frustrates the owners and workers of Islampur Salt Industry of Sadar Upazila.
According to local sources, rain has dissolved around two lakh tonnes of salt. Besides the loss of half crore taka, the locals are worried about the hindrance in salt production for a week.
Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) officers and leaders of salt farmers committee said that the temporary loss of salt would not affect the goal of salt production.
Sources said that the farmers started harvesting salt with a dream of having prosperity in the farming; their dream has been swept away with the rain.
Deputy General Manager of BSCIC Salt Industry Development Programme Dilder Ahmed said that there is a demand of 16.70 lakh tonnes of salt; goal is set to 18 lakh tonnes.
Till March 4, in three months, 8.520 lakh tonnes of salt was produced in 60 thousand acres of land. Rain has stopped the salt production. It will take more seven days to make the fields salt producible.
He said that 60 thousand marginal salt producers will be affected by the loss in the district.
He further said that if the weather remains favourable, the temporary loss will not affect the goal.
Salt farmer Saifuddin of the district said that after the loss in the rain, the supply of the salt would be less as per the demand. They could produce 80 to 100 maunds of salt so far.
Shamsul Islam, president of Islampur Salt Mills Owner Committee of Sadar Upazila informed that due to the rain, the salt production got hindered.
The loss in salt production will put the factories of Islampur in raw materials crisis.
He also said that there is a huge demand of refined salt and price is also good.
He is worried that if raw materials crisis occurs, it will be difficult to fulfil the demand.
