Fears have arisen again over paddy procurement in Sirajganj. In the past two years Boro season procurement in the district was close to zero.

As of Thursday, 6 June, 1,067 tonnes of paddy had been procured in the district, against a target of 8,916 tonnes across its nine upazilas. Those involved believe the target will not be met this year either, as in the past two.

Under government instructions, procurement began on 7 May and is to end by 31 August. Farmers said they were not interested in selling paddy to the government because of the various rules and harassment involved. The food department says it will try to reach the target in the time remaining.

The district food department said the government's target for the district this fiscal year was 8,916 tonnes: 898 tonnes in Sirajganj Sadar, 1,918 in Ullapara, 1,430 in Shahjadpur, 1,252 in Raiganj, 1,411 in Tarash, 559 in Belkuchi, 819 in Kazipur, 441 in Kamarkhanda and 188 in Chauhali.

The district agricultural extension department said paddy was grown on 1,41,575 hectares in Sirajganj this season, about 175 hectares more than the target, producing about 6,14,053 tonnes.

Abdul Momin, a farmer in Shialkol union of Sirajganj Sadar, told Jagonews24: "Government procurement has started. They say you have to apply through an app. I don't understand these things, so I sold my paddy earlier even though the price was lower."

Akbar Ali, a farmer in Raiganj upazila, told Jagonews24: "I got about 60 maunds of paddy this year. I kept enough for the year and sold the rest at the market. I heard you can sell at the government warehouse for Tk 1,280 a maund. But how would I sell there? We don't know the rules."

An agriculturist in Raiganj upazila, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Jagonews24 that most farmer lists are now made on the basis of personal connections and political considerations. Even those listed as farmers face many problems selling paddy, and the government also does too little publicity to include genuine farmers in procurement. For these reasons the government's procurement target is not met.

Sirajganj district food controller Riazur Rahman Raju, however, told Jagonews24 there was no risk of procurement stumbling this time. Paddy is being procured through the farmers' app in four upazilas and by lottery in the other five. He claimed the target would be met because the paddy price is higher than in previous years.

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