RAJSHAHI, Feb 5: Most of the pulse millers of the district are trapped in the net of default loans.
Jamal Uddin had a pulse mill named "Rupali Dal Mill" at Baneswar Bazaar. After running for about 25 years, he had to close the mill. Few years back, he would purchase pulse from farmers, and after processing, he would market those.
But, counting repeated losses for three consecutive years, he became indebted. Now, his default loan stands at Tk 2.20 crore. He earns livelihood somehow from a small medicine shop at Baneswar Bazaar.
Altaf Hossen had been doing the same business since 2007. His "Biplob Dal Mill" has lost capital due to incurring losses for three consecutive years. He has Tk 50 lakh indebted loan with bank.
Baneswar Bazaar is well known for processing and marketing pulse. It is called the capital of pulse.
About 60 per cent of the country's total demand for pulse is supplied from this bazaar. In the last five years, the local pulse traders and millers have become hugely indebted. Most of these have been closed.
Out of total 300 mills, only 50 to 60 are running. Following their closure, thousands of people have turned jobless. The remaining mills are being run on subsidy.
Pulse milling business was launched in the 80s of the last century. Purchased pulse from Chapainawabganj, Pabna, Jhenidah, Faridpur, Meherpur and Kushtia was processed and marketed in Baneswar.
But, the pulse business started expanding throughout the country at the beginning of this century.
Since 2013, some multinational companies including Meghna Group, Fresh City Group, DK Group and ACI Group have been importing coarse pulse from abroad. Since then the local pulse markets started declining gradually. At the end of 2015, the market faced very critical condition. The mills were shut down one after another.
Millers and traders said they have been suffering loss for the last five years due to the syndicated marketing of imported coarse pulse.
Importing coarse lentil from Australia and Canada, they are selling it in local market at Tk 50 per kg, half the price of local pulse. As a result, the price of the indigenous pulse has also declined. For the cheap price, unsold pulse has been stored in godowns.
Millers demanded low interest bank loans and banning import of coarse pulse.
Traders said farmers are not cultivating indigenous pulse largely due to cheap price.
The low production has caused the price to come down.
Manager Mohammed Ali Sarkar of Razab & Brothers Dal Mill said, "The price of per maund indigenous lentil is Tk 2,200 while imported one is Tk 1,400."
In syndicate, multinational companies are marketing imported pulse at lower price for which millers can't sell their stocked pulse, said Proprietor of M/s Mama-Bhagne Dal Mill Nasir Uddin.
According to him, there are hundreds of maunds of unsold pulse in their godowns, and they are being compelled to sell those at lower rate.
"Earlier, I would process and market pulse purchasing from farmers," said Proprietor of M/s Saha Dal Mill Subrata Saha adding, "I no longer can do this business because of defaulted bank loan."
"Traders process pulse in my mill and go away, and it gives me some profits," he pointed out.
He demanded low interest loans from the bank to revive the sick mills.
Proprietor of M/s North-Bengal Dal Mill Selim Reza said pulse trading was started with lentil which has high demand among the consumers.
Baneswar Regional Pulse Traders' Association President Obaidur Rahman said the multi-national companies have formed syndicate to sell pulse, leaving the small traders turn destitute in the last five years.
He also said, "I counted loss worth Tk 20 crore in the last five years. The mill is being run on subsidy having an unsold stock of about 17,500 metric tons of pulse."
He urged the government to provide them with easy loans and banning the import of coarse pulse.
