Farmers line up for urea at dealers’ shops

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Thousands of farmers in 12 upazilas of Bogra have been lining up at fertiliser distribution outlets in their frantic effort to buy urea for their crops.

A number of fertiliser dealers said low stock of fertilisers caused by inadequate supply is the reason behind the ongoing crisis.

Atul Chandra Saha, manager of Parul Enterprise, a fertiliser dealer in Shariakandi upazila, said for the month of July, only 10 tonnes of urea has been allocated for the store against a requisition of 20 tonnes. Only 13 tonnes of urea was allocated for the dealership last month when the requirement was 20 tonnes.

A frustrated farmer Montu, from Kuptala village in Shariakandi upazila, said that he needed 100 kg of urea for the Aus he had planted on two bighas of land 12 days back. So far he managed to apply only 10 kg urea. His crop will be ruined unless he applies 90 more kg of urea to the paddy field within the next ten days. He is about to give up hope of getting more fertiliser as the local chairman has refused to request for more fertiliser slip for him.

Another farmer, Nasir Uddin, 70, from Gorher Bari village in Gabtoli upazila described a similar situation while waiting his turn at a fertiliser dealer outlet at Baiguni village. He was able to buy only 15 kg urea about 15 days ago for his Aus and other crops on seven bighas of land. Even though he needs 100 kg more urea within the next ten days, the fertiliser slip issued to him will allow him to purchase only half the requirement.

A fertiliser slip for 10 kg urea was issued to Shafiqul from Baibhanga village of the same upazila who lined up at the same fertiliser dealer wishing to purchase 50 kg urea.

Gias Uddin was even more unfortunate. He alleged that he along with a number of other farmers had returned empty handed four consecutive times this season as the same fertiliser dealer refused to sell fertiliser to them.

District Agriculture Extension Officer (DAEO) in Bogra, Abul Bashar, however ruled out any existence of fertiliser crisis in the district saying, “The government allocated [sufficient] fertiliser for this crop season in Bogra against the total requirement.”

About 1,000 tonnes of urea have already been allocated in the district till July 10 and over 6,000 tonnes of urea were distributed in the district from April to June this year, said Bashar.

The demand for fertiliser in the district has increased this year due to extensive cultivation of seasonal crops including Aus paddy. A staggering 26,000 hectares of land have been cultivated across the district this year as opposed to 16,000 hectares last year, the DAEO explained.

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