Transplanted aman paddy growers in Bhola have harvested a good yield, but they are being deprived of a fair price and staring at huge losses this season.

The fields of Ilisha village in Bhola sadar upazila have turned a golden hue as paddy has started ripening. However, the growers are not interested in reaping the crop as the market price is below the production cost.

Jahangir Sikder, 45, a farmer from the area, said that though per mound of paddy is fetching Tk. 475 to Tk. 500, the production cost of per mound of paddy is over Tk. 600.  On the other hand, no labourers are also available to harvest paddy from the fields. Either the labourers are asking for a high price or they are just not interested for reasons unknown, some growers rued.

Habibulla, 55, a farmer of Char Ilisha, said that owing to a want of cultivated land, the lease price for land has risen sharply. And with spikes in prices of fertilizer and seeds, the production cost of paddy has risen abnormally. However, the price for their yield has fallen significantly this year, leading to loss, observed Habibulla. The farmers urged the government to ensure fair prices of paddy, otherwise growers will lose interest in paddy cultivation.Baraque Member, 50, Seraj Sikder, 55, and many other farmers said that the food department is yet to take any initiative to purchase paddy from the fields even though the harvesting period has already started.

Some growers alleged that the department will typically start its purchase drive after harvesting is complete and the farmers are already forced to sell their produce at a loss.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), a total of 189,075 hectares have been brought under the aman cultivation programme, with a production target of 492,064 metric tons of rice, in seven upazilas of Bhola district, this season.

Binod Krishna Dey, the deputy director of DAE, Bhola, said that about 5,000 hectares were brought under the cultivation programme over and above the target for this year. The yield has been good following favourable climatic conditions.