Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Boro paddy harvest is almost completed in Sylhet region with farmers unhappy with its low price.
Md Mosharraf Hossain, additional director at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Sylhet, told the FE that Boro harvest is completed in haor region and its harvest in non-haor areas would be completed by May-end.
On average, Sylhet division's boro harvest has stood at 89.11 per cent as of Wednesday last as the paddy has been cultivated on 497,219 hectares of land this year.
There has been a good yield, the official said, adding that per hectare yield of paddy stood at 6 tonnes.
But, farmers have expressed frustration over the low price of Boro paddy.
Boro paddy is being sold at Tk 900-1000 per maund at local markets in all four districts of Sylhet division.
The procurement programme is yet to get a good start as the government has bought only 4,863 mounds of paddy from farmers.
An official at the divisional food office said 32,463 tonnes of paddy would be bought from farmers in Sylhet division this season.
Asked about the slow progress, he said the procurement drive would gear up soon.
Meantime, middlemen are already on the rural market to buy paddy at low prices.
Many farmers have no other option than to sell out their just-harvested paddy due to unavoidable reasons.
However, many people need money to repay loans, which they took in the farming time. Some farmers are stockpiling the paddy for better returns too.
Many of the common farmers would have to repay the loan, especially to the professional money lenders.
On the other hand, they have to give one maund paddy for Tk 700 taken in advance from the investors during the early farming season.
Some farmers of at Derai upazila in Sunamganj said the target to purchase rice from millers is big.
Officials are more interested in purchasing rice from millers.
But, farmers suffer a lot to sell paddy to the government.
The paddy procurement drive was formally inaugurated by Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder in Sunamganj on 26 April.
forsylhet@gmail.com