It has been raining on and off in Cox's Bazar for a week and a half. The continuous rain and tidal water let into shrimp-farming land have halted this year's salt production, and the season has ended in disappointment before the target was met. Even so, the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) says no salt imports are needed, as about 14 lakh metric tonnes are stocked at field level.

According to BSCIC, the season's production ended from 17 May. Farmers, working to a target of 26 lakh 10 thousand metric tonnes, produced 22 lakh 51 thousand 651 tonnes. Even this is the second-highest output in five 12-year cycles (60 years). Last season (FY2023-24), output of 24 lakh 37 thousand 890 tonnes was the highest in 64 years.

Ridwanul Haque, a salt farmer and trader in Eidgaon, said the season had been one of frustration because sale prices were below costs. After farmers got Tk 400-500 a maund last season, lease prices for salt fields for the season just ended were sky-high. One labourer can work 1 acre 20 decimals. For that much land a farmer spent about Tk 3 lakh: about Tk 1.25 lakh on the lease, Tk 25,000 on polythene, Tk 1.2 lakh on labour and the rest on other costs. But in the end the farmer got Tk 2.10-2.20 lakh from selling the salt, a loss of Tk 80,000-90,000 for the season. Many are already weighing whether to farm next season.

Harun Rashid, a farmer in Chowfaldandi, said the first rain of the season came towards the end of April, and a single rain halts production for about seven days. Rain has been falling intermittently again since mid-May, forcing farmers to stop. If the rain had stopped after a day or two, more salt could have been produced.

Mohammad Idris Ali, field inspector of the BSCIC salt industry development project, said production began on 4 November this fiscal year on 69,198 acres in Cox's Bazar Sadar, Eidgaon, Teknaf, Ramu, Chakaria, Pekua and Moheshkhali, and in Banshkhali, Patiya and Anwara upazilas of Chattogram. The target was 26 lakh 10 thousand tonnes, and in the six months to 17 May, 22 lakh 51 thousand 651 tonnes were produced. Although the weather was good until April, output was lower, and the expected quantity was not reached despite more land and more farmers. With prices falling throughout the season, many farmers were late to start, and many did not return after the first rain. Production stopped completely from 18 May as tidal water was let into land used for shrimp farming.

He said that although the season is over, farmers on the coast hold more than about 14 lakh metric tonnes of salt. A maund is selling at Tk 270-280, against production costs of around Tk 300-350. While the field price is Tk 6-7 a kg, packaged salt retails at Tk 30-45. About 41,355 marginal farmers and one lakh labourers, and at least several lakh people in all, are involved in salt production, transport and trade in the district.

Md Zafar Iqbal Bhuiyan, deputy general manager of the BSCIC Cox's Bazar salt industry development project, said that with output of 22 lakh 51 thousand 651 tonnes, the shortfall against the target is 3 lakh 58 thousand 349 tonnes. But there is no need to import, as farmers hold about 14 lakh tonnes unsold, enough to meet national demand for the next 7-8 months. Production will then resume from November or December.

He said farmers were very disappointed with prices this season. Salt prices may rise somewhat during the monsoon, and work is under way on steps to ensure farmers get prices above their costs next season.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.