Farmers in Meherpur have been hit by a severe fertiliser shortage at the start of the rabi season. Unable to get fertiliser at a fair price, farmers from Kutubpur union in Sadar upazila protested in front of the Sadar upazila agriculture office at around 11.30am on Sunday, 7 December.

Protesting farmer Ripon Sarkar said the local BADC dealer, Limon Traders, had not given farmers fertiliser for the past three months. He alleged that the dealer's side had formed a syndicate and was selling fertiliser on the black market at higher prices, so genuine farmers were not getting it at a fair price and faced heavy losses.

Farmer Rafiqul Islam said crop production in the fields would be seriously disrupted if farmers could not get fertiliser in the rabi season. He demanded urgent intervention by the administration to cancel Limon Traders' licence and take effective steps to end the shortage. The farmers have already made a verbal complaint to the Sadar upazila nirbahi officer.

Farmer Firoz Hossain complained that fertiliser cannot be had at a fair price. Only by paying Tk 600 to 800 extra per sack can farmers get it; otherwise it is hard to find. He wants the situation ended quickly.

Angry farmer Milon Hossain said: "We want fertiliser at a fair price. We want an end to the syndicate."

Sadar upazila nirbahi officer Khairul Islam said he had received a verbal complaint and that necessary action would be taken after an investigation.

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