Golden Boro rice ears sway in the wind across fields stretching to the horizon, and farmers are busy harvesting. Some carry bundles of paddy on their shoulders; others take it home by van. But there are no smiles on the farmers' faces. They say production costs were higher this year, while market prices have not kept pace, and they will make a loss.

This is the picture in Nilphamari district. The district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) says a Boro production target of 2 lakh 22 thousand 70 tonnes has been set this season on 81,857 hectares. Harvesting has so far begun on 20 percent of the land.

Abdul Jalil Hossain, a farmer from Taranibari, told Jago News: "I planted paddy on two bighas. It cost Tk 25,000. It will sell for Tk 38,000. If the price of paddy went up, growing it would pay. The paddy market is bad. There is no profit in growing paddy at this market."

Lalit Chandra Roy, a farmer from Lakshmichap Nimtali in Nilphamari, said the yield was good this year. He told Jago News: "The weather was favourable this year. Pest attacks were also comparatively low. But because of the long drought, costs went up with the extra irrigation. With paddy prices low, farmers will make less profit."

Rajab Ali, a farmer from the Maniker Mor area of the town, said: "Electricity, fertiliser, pesticide, labourers' wages – everything costs more. Yet paddy does not fetch that sort of price. Growing paddy for such a small profit means a loss."

At Mirganj market, a maund of hybrid paddy sold for Tk 1,150 a week ago. The same paddy is now selling for Tk 950–1,000 a maund. Farmers say they will make no profit selling at this price, but have no choice but to sell.

Nilphamari Sadar upazila agriculture officer Atik Hasan told Jago News the yield was good this year because the weather was favourable. Pest attacks were low and little pesticide was needed.

He said 15 percent of the paddy in Sadar had so far reached farmers' homes, and the rest could be harvested within the current month.

SM Abu Bakkar Saiful Islam, deputy director of the district DAE, told Jago News the government would buy paddy at Tk 32 a kg. On that basis a sack of paddy would be worth Tk 2,400. Government buying at the official rate has not started yet, which may be why prices are low.

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