Fertiliser sales put Ghoraghat dealers in dilemma

GHORAGHAT, DINAJPUR, Aug 29: Fertiliser dealers in Ghoraghat are facing difficulties selling fertiliser during the Aman season as many farmers are demanding three to four times more than the quantities recommended by the government’s Khamari App.

The app recommends fertiliser quantities based on the type of soil and crop. However, farmers often insist on larger quantities based on their experience of cultivating their land, leading to arguments and disputes between farmers and dealers.

Dealers said they fear facing action for violating government directives if they sell fertiliser beyond the quantities recommended by the app. At the same time, they face complaints to the upazila administration when they refuse to meet farmers’ demands.

Both farmers and dealers said differences between field-level experience and the app’s recommendations should be assessed and adjusted where necessary, instead of relying solely on the app. They said this would help reduce disputes while ensuring balanced fertiliser use.

According to the agriculture office, Aman has been cultivated on around 11,500 hectares of land in the upazila this year. Fertiliser recommendations on the Khamari App are made considering the crop and soil quality.

Excessive fertiliser use not only raises production costs but can also damage soil quality, officials said.
Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan, a dealer in Bulakipur Union, said there was little pressure over DAP and MOP, but TSP was a major concern.
“Monthly TSP allocation for 19 dealers in Ghoraghat is 135 metric tonnes. Farmers generally need 6-7kg of TSP per bigha, but they are demanding 15-20kg,” he said.

Farmers Abdul Alim of Sonarpara Village in Bulakipur Union and Anwar and Abdul Aziz of Baidor Village in Singra Union said they had years of experience cultivating their land.

“We know from experience how much fertiliser different types of land require. If the app recommends less fertiliser than we need, we fear yields could fall,” they said.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Rafiquzzaman said using more fertiliser than necessary did not guarantee higher yields.
“Excessive fertiliser use increases production costs and may damage soil quality in the long run. We are trying to raise awareness among both dealers and farmers about this,” he said.