BADC growers yet to get payment
OUR CORRESPONDENT
About 750 contract growers of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation [BADC] are yet to get payment against supply of Boro paddy seed to the state-owned entity.
The growers of Madhupur and Ghatail supplied about 300 tonnes of Boro seeds to the BADC three months ago.
The value of the seed is about Tk 11 crores. But the growers are not being paid the value of the seeds. Farmer Enamul Haque of village Pirijpur in Madhupur upazila said he is an enlisted contract grower of BADC.
He has been producing and supplying seeds to the BADC over the past two decades. He supplied BRRI-28, BRRI-29 Boro seeds to the BADC; but he did not get the price of seeds.
Azad of Ghatail upazila said he supplied 1,950 kgs of seed worth over Tk 6 lakh at a rate of Tk 31 per kg. He has been trying to get the payment for the last three months.
Contract growers under Madhupur Adarsha Chachi Samity at a press conference held in Madhupur Press Club on Monday said the contract growers of BADC here demanded their dues at an early date.
They said they have been passing days in hardship. The monetary crisis will affect the Aman farming, they feared.
They drew the attention of the Prime minister and agriculture minister for helping them get the outstanding seed bills.
Farmer Abu Hanif, farmer Enamul Hoque spoke on the occasion. Shamsuz-zuha, deputy director (Seed) of Madhupur Zone, said the matter has been brought to the notice of the higher authorities.
We are trying to pay the bills before Eid-ul-Azha. The contact growers of BADC supply seed to the BADC. BADC sells seeds to the farmers after processing in Madhupur Seed Processing Centre.
