Bumper crop yields no fair price for maize farmers

Things have changed for the ‘chars’ or shoals of the Teesta River, now not more than a narrow stream. These sandy stretches of Hatibanda upazila in Lalmonirhat district are now green with maize fields all around. Maize is the only profitable crop of the peasants there and is now being cultivated on the banks of Teesta. This crop has already changed the quality of their lives. Even a few years back, people here used to cultivate tobacco in these lands.

Farmers have said, this year the production is much better than the last few years. But they regret that they are deprived of fair prices. Despite hard work and bumper crops, the farmers doubted if they would get a fair price. They were also worried about coronavirus. They said if they don’t get proper price because of coronavirus, they will fall serious trouble. They were worried about fair prices and market management. They hoped they government would take initiative about these issues.

An official of the Department of Agricultural Extension of Hatibanda upazila, Harun ur Rashid, said paddy cultivation is decreasing. Farmers are turning to maize. The upazila consists of 23,529 hectares of arable land. The grazing area is 2,243 hectares. This year, the target of maize cultivation has been set on 12,850 hectares of land. Last year, maize was cultivated on 12,550 hectares of land. In previous year, it was cultivated on 10,000 hectares of land.

Harun ur Rashid also said the soil in the area was sandy and loamy. Therefore, the cultivation of boro rice has led to a higher cost of irrigation, so farmers have lost interest in rice cultivation. On the other hand, irrigation costs are lower in maize cultivation which results in higher production. So, farmers are more inclined towards maize.

Farmers said that they are getting a good yield of maize by borrowing from the local agricultural bank, but they are not seeing the expected profits. Without any profits so far, they are worried about repaying the loans and interest.

Besides, when the maize is brought to the market, the traders reduce the price by saying that there the moisture in the maize is not sufficient. This is how they get cheated by the local brokers every year.

Some farmers said, with the help of brokers, the wholesalers buy the maize at a lower price from the farmers. So the farmers do not get a fair price. Farmers have no control of the market due to the lower price of the maize. Besides, farmers cannot stockpile the crops due to a lack of space in their own homes. Seasonal traders buy the maize and store these in warehouses and sell it to the traders from different parts of the country at a higher price.

Farmers have cultivated maize in most of the ten villages in the Teesta area, including Sanyajan, Goddimari, Singimari, Fakirpara and Barakhata unions in Hatibanda Upazila.

Anwar Hossain of the Sundar village of Sanyajan union of Hatibanda Upazila, said that the local brokers make an excuse, saying that no one wants to buy the maize so and it has no market value. This year we are worried about coronavirus. Don’t know how we can run our family. If the government takes initiative for market management and fair prices, we would benefit.

“We are forced to maize every year for Tk 500 to Tk 550 per maund. I was forced to sell maize at a lower price when I needed the money. The amount we get by the selling the maize is used to pay for fuel, labour, fertiliser and seeds. We have to pay the loan installments as well,” Hossain added.

Osman Ghani (35), of New Market area of Sanyajan union, said “Some local traders obstruct outside traders from buying maize. As a result, we cannot sell maize at high prices to local traders and every year they do these kinds of things in the market. If we fail to sell maize for coronavirus, our life will become hell.’’

Abdus Salam, a farmer of Goddimari union of Hatibanda upazila said, “We have bought maize seeds at Tk700 per kg for 10 bighas of land, hoping to sell maize at higher prices this time. We will benefit, if outside traders buy maize directly from the farmers.”

Farmer Shafiqul Islam of Fakirpara village of Hatibanda Upazila said, “This year, the price of fertiliser, seeds, oil and wages are high. I do not know whether I would get a better price this year. If a large number of maize cultivators have planted maize in the area and all bring the maize to the market at the same time, then the price will decrease. The government should have fixed the price of maize. Then I would concentrate more on maize cultivation than growing tobacco.”

Senior Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) Mahfuzul Haque said that maize is a high-yielding crop at a low cost. There is a huge demand for maize in the country. Maize is also used as a feed for poultry, dairy and fish. At present, about 4.5 lakh hectares of land is being cultivated in the country. More than 38 lakh tonnes of maize are being produced in the country which is insufficient compared to demand. Soil and weather in a wide area of ​​this country are suitable for maize cultivation. BARI has already developed maize which contains protein and is beneficial for both humans and animals. Various industrial products can be made from the grain comprising starch, sugar, syrup, oil, leaves and stalks, paper, card or hardboard, plastic pipes. Besides, the government is focusing more on maize cultivation to reduce the pressure on rice and wheat used as food for the people.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE)’s information department, the government is working to ensure that farmers get a fair price for maize. The government is also thinking about stocking the maize in their warehouses. It will also take necessary steps to prevent exploitation by the middlemen.

DAE records show that 20 lakh tonnes of maize will be imported in 2020-2021 years. In the last financial year, the import volume was 18 lakh tonnes. In the previous fiscal year, the import of maize was 15 lakh 24 thousand tonnes.

DAE director Md. Azhar Ali said that the production will increase if the fair price is given to the farmers. Import would be reduced and there would be a possibility of export. “We are thinking about an action plan so the farmers don’t face losses for coronavirus,” he added.