Farmers in Bogura are selling pointed gourd at Tk 30 a kilo in the field. After changing hands at Mahasthan market it sells for Tk 40, and at Fateh Ali Bazar in Bogura town, just 10 km away, for Tk 50 to 60. Cucumber follows the same path: Tk 30-35 to the grower, Tk 40 at Mahasthan and Tk 50-60 in town. Samakal's reporter found this on Monday by talking to farmers, wholesalers, retailers and drivers at both markets.

Traders blame transport, labour, market tolls, sorting and spoilage. But the drivers' own figures show the diesel rise of Tk 20 a litre adds little per kilo. Truck fare from Bogura to Tangail went from Tk 8,000 to Tk 9,000-9,500; spread over a 4,500-5,000 kg load that is about 20 paisa a kilo. On the Chattogram run fares rose from Tk 24,000-25,000 to Tk 28,000-30,000, or roughly 25 to 35 paisa a kilo on a 14,000 kg truck.

Trader Tajul Islam said an electric van from Mahasthan to town now costs Tk 250 instead of Tk 150; carrying 160 to 200 kg, that is 50 to 63 paisa a kilo. Wholesaler Shahinur Islam said a mini truck to Chattogram is hard to find even at Tk 25,000, against Tk 18,000 before.

Falling prices at the market do not reach town. In the past week pointed gourd at Mahasthan dropped from Tk 40 to Tk 25-30, bitter gourd from Tk 55 to Tk 45 and radish from Tk 35 to Tk 22, and a hali of lemons from Tk 30 to Tk 20. Yet on Monday Fateh Ali Bazar still sold pointed gourd at Tk 50-60, bitter gourd at Tk 80 and cauliflower at Tk 160 a kilo.

Tolls and over-weighing cut farmers' take further. Growers pay a toll of Tk 1 a kilo and are often made to hand over 42 or 43 kg for a 40 kg maund. Farmer Abul Hossain worked it out: 40 kg at Tk 30 brings Tk 1,200, but if he must give 42 kg for that money his real price is Tk 28.57 a kilo, and Tk 27.91 at 43 kg.

K G M Faruk, Bogura secretary of the Campaign for Good Governance (SUPRO), said the extra fare from Mahasthan to town is about a taka a kilo, so traders' arithmetic does not add up. Mehedi Hasan, assistant director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Bogura, said: "No trader can raise prices at will using the fuel price rise as an excuse."

Both ends lose: the grower keeps a thin margin and the town shopper pays nearly double. Buyers at Fateh Ali Bazar said someone needs to account for where the money is added between field and stall.

Source: Samakal