Banana growers in Joypurhat are in trouble after a sudden price fall. A bunch that sold for Tk 1,000 a few days ago now fetches Tk 300 to 350, Krishi Shomoy reports.
The district aimed to grow bananas on 807 hectares this season and planted 705, producing 31,081 tonnes, with good yields from the Manik, Sagar and Chinichampa varieties. Growers put the cost of land preparation, fertiliser, pesticide, irrigation and labour at Tk 35,000 to 40,000 a bigha, while a bigha's crop now sells for Tk 25,000 to 30,000, a loss of up to Tk 10,000 a bigha.
Several growers at Jamalganj market in Akkelpur upazila alleged that once supplies rose, some wholesalers and traders cut their buying together, forcing growers to sell fast and cheap. Traders deny any syndicate, saying supplies rose across the country at once while demand fell in Dhaka and other terminal markets; bananas do not keep, so they must be sold quickly, and they too are getting less than expected.
Growers say that after losses on potatoes and rice, the banana slump is deepening their debts, and if they cannot cover costs they will struggle to finance the next season. Some have cut down banana plants and planted rice. They want monitoring all along the chain, from the growing areas to wholesale depots and terminal markets.
District agricultural marketing officer Mehedi Hasan said markets are monitored regularly to secure fair prices, the price fall is being watched, and the syndicate allegation is being looked into seriously, with strict action if it is found to be true.
Reported by Krishi Shomoy's Joypurhat correspondent.
Photo: Masumcity / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: Krishi Shomoy
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