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Download PDF Cost of producing winter crops is on the rise across the country as the farmers are having to pay 15 to 20 percent more than the prices set by the government for non-urea fertilisers.
Farmers blame an artificial crisis for the rising prices of both urea and non-urea fertilisers throughout the country.
According to reports from Tangail, Bogra, Dinajpur, Comilla and Manikganj, despite availability of fertilisers, the farmers are being compelled to spend an additional Tk 100 to Tk 250 for a 50-kg bag of non-urea fertiliser such as Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), Muriate of Potash (MOP) and Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP).
Non-urea fertilisers are now in great demand in the county, especially in the regions of Manikganj, Jessore, Bogra, Rajshahi, Tangail, Dinajpur and Comilla where farmers use these fertilisers to grow winter vegetables including potato, eggplants, cauliflower, cabbage, green chilli and mustard.
In Dinajpur, a 50-kg bag of TSP is selling at Tk 1,200 against the government rate of Tk 1,000 while in Manikganj, the same is selling at Tk 950 against Tk 800 fixed by the government.
The government rate varies from district to district as the cost of transportation of fertiliser is different for each place, said sources at Bangladesh Fertiliser Association yesterday.
The price difference, Tk 100 to 250 for a bag of non-urea fertiliser, is common in southern, northern and central areas of the country. For a bag of urea, the price difference is usually Tk 50 to Tk 100.
Selling prices of the produce are not likely to cover the production cost, fear the farmers.
“Last year, I sold a hundred cauliflower for Tk 400 and cabbage for Tk 300 — which were 30 percent lower than their production cost,” said Nitai Lal Sarker, a vegetable farmer from Jhikorgachha in Jessore.
The high production cost and low selling prices act as disincentives to grow vegetables, he added.
According to data available on October 27, there was no fertiliser crisis in the country as the stock of urea was 4.2 lakh tonnes, as opposed to 2.8 lakh tonnes during the same period in FY07, said sources in the government quoting Agriculture Adviser CS Karim.
The government has distributed 7.71 lakh tonnes of urea against the demand of 7.64 lakh tonnes from July through October in the current fiscal, the adviser added.
During this current fiscal year, 2007-08, the government targets to distribute 28.18 lakh tonnes of urea, which is 2.8 lakh tonnes higher than the previous FY figure, CS Karim said.
Around 1 lakh tonnes of non-urea fertilisers were imported last year and released to the market after ensuring their subsidies while around 1.5 lakh tonnes of non-urea fertilisers have recently reached Chittagong Port with more shipments in the pipeline to meet future demands.
Our Tangail correspondent adds: Farmers have been waiting in long queues to purchase all types of fertilisers in different areas of the district.
Dukhiram Mondol, 55, a farmer from Joutuki village in Basail upazila, said after waiting in line behind 150 farmers in front of a fertiliser dealer outlet at the upazila headquarters since 3:00am in the morning for four bags of urea for his mustard field, he went home empty-handed.
Our Manikganj correspondent adds: Potato farmer Majed Ali from Charbari village in Manikganj upazila said he succeeded in purchasing two 50-kg bags of TSP on Wednesday for Tk 1,840 against the government rate of Tk 1,600.
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