Farmers in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur say they cannot get fertiliser even though warehouses hold plenty. Many have prepared their land but cannot sow early potato, groundnut, maize and vegetables, and fear losing the chance of good prices in the early market.
According to the upazila agriculture office, Gangachara holds 836.20 tonnes of four chemical fertilisers: 232.45 tonnes of urea, 26.50 tonnes of TSP, 257.80 tonnes of DAP and 319.45 tonnes of MoP. That farmers are going without despite such stocks has raised questions about distribution.
Mosharraf Hossain of the Minar Bazar area in Nohali union has 54 decimals ready for potato. Had he got fertiliser on time, he says, the plants would already be two to three inches tall. Muhubar Rahman, who wants to sow groundnut on 95 decimals, has been to the dealer several times without success. Maize grower Chhabur Ali of Laxmitari union fears lower yields if he cannot apply fertiliser on time.
Dealers say there is no shortage. Nohali dealer Lebu Mia said stocks are being held because this is not the planting season and will be released when it begins; releasing them now, he said, could let some people hoard and create an artificial shortage.
Laxmitari union parishad chairman Abdullah Al Hadi said it must be investigated why farmers cannot get fertiliser when it is in stock, and anyone creating irregularities or an artificial shortage should face strict action. Upazila agriculture officer Rubel Hussain said stocks are adequate and dealers are being monitored so that farmers get fertiliser as needed at the government price.
Reporting: Riyadunnabi Riyad, Gangachara (Rangpur), Amar Desh
Photo: Balaram Mahalder / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: Amar Desh
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