Prices of newly harvested vegetables have dropped at Mahasthan Haat, Bogura's big wholesale market. Radish is selling at just Tk 10 a kilogram and cauliflower at Tk 15-20, leaving growers unable to cover their costs.
Sunday's wholesale prices per kilogram were carrot Tk 110, tomato Tk 80, brinjal Tk 30, sweet gourd Tk 30, green chilli Tk 30, cucumber Tk 25, potato Tk 20 and papaya Tk 10. Lemons were Tk 20 for four and cabbage Tk 20 each.
Nasir Uddin Tarek, who brought cauliflower from Mokamtala, says farmers lose on weight as well as price. A maund used to be 40 kg, but at the market they now have to hand over 42 to 44 kg for one.
A trader named Rafiq says fresh vegetables dry out and lose weight in transport and storage, and the extra is taken to make up for it.
Farmers say the cost of fertiliser, pesticide, irrigation and labour keeps climbing, and that at these prices they cannot even recover their capital. They fear many may lose interest in growing vegetables next season.
Photo: Salim_Khandoker / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: Krishi Shomoy
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