Large quantities of tomatoes are grown on the chars of the Padma in Rajshahi, and farmers there ought to be doing well. The opposite is happening: transport is costing so much that growers cannot make the profits they hoped for.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Rajshahi, there are 14 chars in the district's Paba, Godagari, Charghat and Bagha upazilas. The main ones are Char Mazardiar and Char Khidirpur in Paba, Char Ashariadaha and Char Diar Manikchar in Godagari, and Tangon in Charghat. The largest are Char Mazardiar and Char Khidirpur in Paba, covering about 5,816 hectares. Tomatoes are grown on these chars, and this year 800 hectares of land in the district are under the crop.

Farmers on the banks of the Padma face great hardship moving their tomatoes over a short distance. Although the chars are only 10 km from the city, it costs almost Tk 500 to carry a single sack of tomatoes, and farmers are losing the profit they expected.

Mukhles, a farmer from Char Khidirpur, told Jagonews24: "This time I grew tomatoes on one and a half bighas. I have made a profit of Tk 1.5 lakh, and another Tk 50,000 worth of tomatoes is still to be sold. But the lack of a road is cutting into the profit."

Nazir Uddin, a farmer from Char Asharidaha, said: "We are suffering for want of a road. After picking, the tomatoes first go by trolley to the ghat, then by boat to the ghat in town, and from there by van to the market. That costs Tk 150-200 a maund on average, while tomatoes are selling for Tk 200-300 a maund. Profits are low because of the transport cost."

He added: "We should make Tk 1.5-2 lakh profit per bigha on average, but because of the cost of the journey we are making Tk 1-1.5 lakh. A large part goes on transport."

Amdaj Ali, a farmer from Char Majhardiar, said: "If our transport improved, we would never have to look back. The roads cost a lot, so the profit is lower. Still, growing crops keeps the household going."

Mizan carries his tomatoes from the field to the river ghat by motorcycle, then goes by boat to the town ghat, and from there takes them to the wholesale market in the city. Md Mizan told Jagonews24: "Taking crops to market like this is very hard and costs a lot. If communication were made easier for us, we could earn more."

Ashraful Islam, chairman of Asharidal union parishad in Rajshahi, said: "We have taken many steps to solve the problem, but it has not been solved. The ghat operators take whatever money they like. They draw up the goods transport list themselves through the zila parishad. We kept on saying it but got nothing. This is what happens when people are helpless."

Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Afia Akhter said: "First we have to find out whether all the ghats are in the same state. We will look into it and take action."

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