Production costs threaten early vegetable farming at Rajarhat

RAJARHAT, KURIGRAM, Sept 5: Vegetable fields are now bustling with activity across Rajarhat Upazila of Kurigram, with lush green crops covering large areas.

Farmers are busy planting seeds and saplings for early winter vegetables, hoping to make good profits.

But rising prices of fertiliser, seeds and pesticides are making early vegetable cultivation increasingly difficult for them.
Farmers said traders often raise prices citing various shortages at the beginning of the season. They urged the authorities to strengthen market monitoring to curb the price hikes.

According to the upazila agriculture office, vegetables have been cultivated on 350 hectares of land in Rajarhat during the ongoing Kharif-2 season. The office has set a target of cultivating early winter vegetables on another 250 hectares.

Farmers are currently busy planting seeds and saplings of cauliflower, cabbage, bottle gourd, yardlong bean, carrot, tomato, cucumber and other vegetables.

However, sudden fertiliser shortages and rising pesticide prices have left many of them frustrated.

Several farmers were seen sowing early cauliflower seeds in Mirer Bari village of Chhinai union.

Rafiqul Islam, son of Khedabag Village resident Bachcha Mia, was sowing cauliflower seeds on four decimals of land. He said traders increase the prices of seeds, fertiliser and pesticides by citing various shortages every season.

“I bought a packet of cauliflower seeds for Tk 1,000-1,200 last season. This year, I had to pay Tk 1,700 for the same seeds,” he said.
Kamal, son of Khabir Uddin, and Rakib Khandakar, son of Golzar Khandakar, both from the same village, said the prices of almost everything had increased.

“The price of bamboo, labour and polythene has gone up. Irrigation has also become more expensive due to higher diesel and petrol prices. Despite all this, farmers are still hoping to make profits from early vegetable cultivation,” they said.

Moksedul, son of sharecropper Moniruzzaman of Khedabag Village, said a packet of cauliflower seeds costs around Tk 600 and produces 1,400-1,500 seedlings.

“The seedlings are ready within 25-30 days. They reach the harvesting stage about 60 days later. So, vegetables can be harvested around 90 days after sowing the seeds,” he said.

Golzar Khandakar, son of late Abdus Samad of the same village, said vegetables were cultivated on around 50 hectares in Mirer Bari alone.

“Vegetables are the main cash crop for farmers here. Many farmers cultivate early vegetables on plots ranging from one to five acres,” he said.

“However, the biggest problem is that fertiliser is not always available when we need it. Dealers say they have no stock, forcing us to buy fertiliser at higher prices from the open market. Early vegetable cultivation also requires more pesticides, but their prices have increased as well. The government needs to monitor the market,” he added.

A visit to a dealer's shop at Khedabag Bazar found that the dealership, previously held by Ismail Hossain, was now registered in the name of his wife, Nazmin Nahar, after his death. Their son Russell currently manages the business.

Russell said they had 46 sacks of TSP, 29 sacks of DAP and 127 sacks of potash in stock.

Asked why fertiliser could not be supplied to farmers as required, he could not give a clear answer but admitted that they were unable to meet farmers' demand due to inadequate supply.

Although she did not comment on the price hikes, Haimanti Rani, additional agriculture officer at the upazila agriculture office, said farmers in the area were benefiting financially from vegetable cultivation.

“They are becoming self-reliant by selling vegetables in neighbouring areas after meeting local demand,” she said.

Deputy Director of Kurigram Department of Agricultural Extension Abdullah Al Mamun said there was no fertiliser shortage in the district.

“Agriculture officials are working at the field level to resolve any problems. Hopefully, there should be no shortage anywhere now. Still, if anyone faces a problem, they can contact the nearest agriculture office for a proper solution,” he said.