Low market price frustrates T-Aman paddy growers

Roving Correspondent
SIRAJGANJ, Mar 28: T-Aman paddy growers in the district are frustrated over the low market price.
Many growers told this correspondent that they are selling their hard-earned produce at a lower rate to meet their daily expenses.
They said they need money to cultivate other crops this season.
Officials at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said T-Aman rice production was good this year. Growers expected to make a good profit but present market rate has disheartened them.
Sub-assistant agriculture officer of DAE Azizur Rahman said farmers are now busy growing green chilli, Boro, pumpkin, maize and other short-duration vegetables but most of them are suffering from fund shortage.
Each maund of T-Aman paddy is sold at Tk 555 to Tk 575, though it was Tk 670 to Tk 600 a few days ago.
Farmer Rabiul Islam of Royganj upazila said, "I have cultivated T-Aman paddy on five bighas of land and got 100 maunds of production."
"I sold 30 maunds at Tk 690 per maund during harvesting period but the rate is now Tk 560 per maund", he added.
The government's plan to procure a small quantity of paddy this year from the farmers led to the present situation, farmers alleged.
DAE Deputy Director Arshad Ali said about 0.5 million tonnes of rice have been produced by cultivating 1,28,900 hectares of land in the district this year.
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