Aman farmers want govt to fix procurement price without delay
As the farmers in Sunamganj and Khulna districts have started harvesting the Aman paddy and look forward to selling their produces soon, they expect the government first set the trend of the market price by announcing the price of public procurement of rice this season.
According to the Department of Agriculture (DAE), Aman output in Jamalganj upazila of Sunamganj this season would be around 7,700 tonnes which is 60 tonnes more than the target fixed earlier.
Dr Safayat Ahmmed Siddiki, agriculture officer of DAEs Jamalganj office, said the production was better this year due to favourable condition.
In Khulna, Aman acreage stood 91,625 hectares which is about 4,000 hectares short of the target. However, a good yield is expected and the gross output from the district would not fall much short of the target.
Many seedbeds were damaged and had to be prepared again during the rains that caused the slight fall in the acreage, but the yield is better due to favourable condition, according to DAEs Khulna office.
Mostafizur Rahman, a farmer from Paikgachha upazila of the district, said at present the paddy is selling at Tk 650 per mound.
But the price may fall when the harvest will be at its peak, he added.
Noting that prices of public procurements usually cast impact on the overall market price, Abdus Salam Tarafder, district marketing officer of the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM), said the farmers would be benefited if the government can fix the procurement price of Aman withoutany delay.
