Naogaon farmers count the cost of costlier diesel

NAOGAON, Oct 3: The recent Tk 20-a-litre hike in diesel prices, taking the price to Tk 135, is pushing up farming costs in Naogaon, a major rice-producing district.

Farmers say they may have to spend an additional Tk 1,500 to Tk 2,500 per bigha on irrigation, land preparation, threshing and transporting crops. They fear the higher costs could increase production expenses and the risk of losses in the coming Boro season.

Diesel-powered irrigation pumps, tractors, power tillers and threshing machines are widely used for rice, vegetables and other crops in the district. As a result, the fuel price hike is directly affecting agricultural production costs.

Abdus Salam, a farmer from Shikarpur in Sadar Upazila, said the total cost of irrigation, land preparation, threshing and transportation for a bigha could rise by Tk 2,000-2,500 this year.

“Seed, fertiliser and pesticide prices have already increased. Now the diesel price hike is raising costs at every stage, from preparing the land to bringing the rice home,” he said.

Asib Ali, a farmer from Brindarampur in Mahadebpur Upazila, said many fields in his area are elevated and require more irrigation.

“I may have to spend around Tk 1,000 more per bigha on irrigation. If another Tk 1,000-1,500 is added for land preparation, threshing and transporting rice, the total additional cost could reach Tk 2,000-2,500,” he said.

Saijuzzaman, a sharecropper in Raninagar, said the increased costs would put additional pressure on farmers cultivating leased land.

“Before harvesting the crop, we are already calculating the additional expenses. But we do not know whether rice prices will rise accordingly,” he said.

Abdul Kader Hira, a farmer from Ganeshpur Village in Manda, said diesel was needed for almost every stage of rice cultivation.

“Higher fuel prices will increase the rental costs of tractors, irrigation equipment and threshing machines. Overall, the additional cost could be Tk 1,500-2,500 per bigha,” he said.

Farmers said the impact of the diesel price hike would not be limited to irrigation, as land preparation, threshing and crop transportation costs would also increase.

Mohammad Manzur Rahman, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Naogaon, said the diesel price hike could raise farmers’ production costs to some extent.

“Government incentives and other support are being provided. Farmers are also being encouraged to use solar-powered irrigation pumps to reduce irrigation costs,” he said.

Jainal Abedin Mukul, District Coordinator of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Basad), said the higher diesel price would increase both production and transportation costs.

He called for fuel subsidies or easier access to incentives to protect farmers from the additional burden.
Farmers urged the authorities to take effective measures to reduce irrigation and machinery costs before the Boro season begins.