Photo : Messenger
A syndicate in Sherpur upazila of Bogura, has seized control of potato seeds, causing an artificial shortage in the local market and plunging farmers into distress.
Despite persistent efforts, dealers and traders are unable to secure quality seeds, leading to frustration among farmers who fear potential disruptions to potato cultivation in Bogura. The cultivation season has just kicked off after early paddy varieties were harvested, with full-scale potato planting set to begin in the coming week.
The syndicate, comprised of unscrupulous businessmen and dealers, is holding farmers hostage with the intent of profiting from selling potato seeds at inflated prices. Allegedly, each sack of seed potatoes is being sold at Tk 400 to Tk 800 more than the fixed price, but officials seem indifferent to the issue.
In the current season, the target for potato cultivation in Sherpur Upazila is set at 3,000 hectares, requiring 4,500 metric tons of seeds. The demand breakdown is as follows: BADC 10%, BRAC 5%, other companies 30%, and the remaining 30% met by farmers and seed dealers. There are around 45 dealers, including 18 from BADC, 8 from BRAC, and 19 from other companies.
Investigations reveal that the demand for government BADC's potato seeds is low, pushing farmers to seek seeds from private company BRAC Seed Agro Enterprise. However, these seeds are unavailable in the market due to the syndicate's control, forcing farmers to resort to dealers and traders who demand higher prices than the fixed rate.
Farmers from Kusumbi Union, such as Helal, Dulal Hossain, Shah Alam, Faruq Hossain, and Abdus Sattar, report that BRAC is supposed to sell 40 kg bags of seed potatoes for Tk 2,600. However, the syndicate has inflated prices, selling these bags for Tk 2,800 to Tk 3,300, resulting in an increase of Tk 400 to Tk 800 per bag.
Despite the elevated prices, the demand for potato seeds remains unmet. Fertilizers are also being sold at higher prices despite apparent shortages, adding to the financial burden on farmers who must purchase seeds and fertilizers at elevated costs.
Majnu Mia, a potato farmer cultivating 30 bigha of land, expressed concern over the high prices of potato seeds and fertilizer, amounting to Tk 40-45 thousand per bigha of land. He stressed the need for fair potato prices to prevent significant losses.
Rezadul Haque Reza, another farmer, noted that one bigha of land requires the labor of two men and one woman for 10 to 12 days during planting, highlighting the challenges faced by farmers.
Farmers allege that a syndicate of dealer-businessmen, in collaboration with seed companies, is trading seeds under the guise of advance booking, extracting a significant amount of money. Various dealers, including BADC, receive commissions on seed sales, but the lack of monitoring in the concerned department allows them to take advantage of the situation.
Rafiqul Islam, a BRAC dealer, acknowledged the seed shortage and attributed it to the lack of seed allocation in the upazila according to demand. He assured that the seed potato shortage would be resolved eventually. He also blamed sub-dealers for increasing seed prices, claiming that they charge more than the company's fixed price. Feroz Uddin Master, another dealer of BADC and BRAC, stated that although potato planting has just begun, the supply of seeds is comparatively low.
Farzana Akhtar, the Sherpur Upazila Agriculture Officer, denied any seed shortage and assured that all farmers would receive seeds on time. She emphasized that potatoes would not go uncultivated due to seed shortages, and strict action would be taken against dealers attempting to sell seeds beyond the prescribed price.
Messenger/Alamgir/Shahin
