Sirajganj, Jan 04:- Farmers in the Chalan Beal area of Sirajganj are facing difficulties in cultivation due to the high price of onion and garlic seeds during the current season.
They say that one bigha of garlic is being cultivated at a cost of 30 thousand taka and onion at a cost of 55 thousand taka. Due to the high price of seeds in garlic and onion cultivation during the season, the burden on the farmers is like a burden of vegetables.
After investigating in Nadosaidpur, Katabari and Hemnagar villages of Saguna union of Tarash upazila, it was learned that 3 maunds of good quality seeds are required to cultivate garlic in one bigha of land. Its cost is about 30 thousand taka this year. Whereas last year it cost 22 thousand 500 taka. This time the cost of seeds alone is increasing by 7 to 8 thousand taka per bigha. On the other hand, 8 maunds of good quality seeds are required to cultivate onion in one bigha of land. Its cost is 55 thousand taka this year. Last year it cost 28 thousand taka. As a result, this time the cost of seeds is 26,400 taka more. The farmers of this region are in danger due to the abnormal increase in the price of seeds of these two crops during the peak season.
According to the Upazila Agriculture Office, the target of cultivation of garlic on 750 hectares of land and onion on 150 hectares of land has been set in different areas of 8 unions of the upazila in the current season.
Farmers said that farmers benefit from the bumper yield of garlic and onion without cultivation and getting good prices in the Chalanbil-populated areas. However, 70 to 80 percent of the seeds are bought from the market. After the onion and garlic grow, the farmer selects some parts and keeps them as seeds. They store them at home for eight to nine months. These are being sold at high prices. There is a revolution in the cultivation of spice crops in the upazila. This also includes the continuity of cultivation. However, the high price of seeds during the season is making farmers suffer.
Babul Akhtar cultivates onion and garlic in Hemnagar village of Tarash. He said that in the Chalanbil region, early planting of onion and garlic seeds is underway. The harvest will start after the cultivation by next February. He also said that the abnormal price of seeds has become a cause of hardship for small and marginal farmers.
Another farmer, Ujjwal Hossain of Nadosaidpur village, said that if so much money is spent on seeds alone, then many people cannot afford to pay for chemical fertilizers, pesticides, medicines, irrigation, agricultural labor and other expenses.
Chanchkoir, Kachikata, Naogaon, Handial, Dhamaich Hat, Singra and Kaliganj are famous for the seeds of these two crops in the Chalanbil region. Garlic seeds were sold at 9,600 to 10,000 taka per maund in these haats and markets last Friday and today, Saturday. Last year, it was 7,500 taka. This year, onion seeds are being sold at 6,800 taka per maund, which was 3,500 taka last year.
Garlic seed seller Shukkur Ali at Naogaon market said that the price of onion and garlic is high this year. The price of seeds is always higher than that of edible onion and garlic. The cultivation of these two crops will start in full swing within the next 15 days to a month. Then the price may increase further.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, a farmer from Katabari village, said that in the Chalanbil region, if a bigha of land has a good harvest, 38 to 40 maunds of garlic and 80 to 90 maunds of onion can be obtained. Their price is also high. He said that the price of onion and garlic is not so high when harvesting. Since small and marginal farmers cultivate on loans, they sell the crop at a low price as soon as it grows to repay the loan. When the price increases, the farmer has nothing in his barn.
Abdullah Al Mamun, an agricultural officer of Tarash Upazila, said that the price of onion and garlic seeds is currently high in the market. However, if the harvest is good, the farmer will be able to recover it.
He said that the upazila administration is monitoring the market to keep the prices of all types of products, including seeds, stable. He said that if anyone charges more than the reasonable price, action is being taken against them.
