Md. Mosabbir Ali, Kulaura ,M’bazar :
Bumper yield of string been in Moulvibazar district this year has made its growers unhappy as huge supply to the markets compelled the farmers to sell the product at through away prices.
Huge supply of turmeric due to its bumper yield in different areas of the district has caused a drastic price fall of the spice in local market, much to the frustration of farmers.
This season, farmers are selling one kg of yard long been for only Tk 8 to 13 while it was sold for Tk 30 to 40 last year. The growers, who had earlier eyed a good profit, are now anxious to get back their production cost. Encouraged by bumper production and unexpected profit last year, Kulaura farmers cultivated turmeric on 150 hectares of land, said Upazila officials of Agriculture Department. They cultivated string been on the abandoned land surrounding their homesteads and paddy field this year in the hope of making a good profit, but sharp fall in price has dashed their expectations. Farmer Masuk Ahmed, 50, of Sripur village in Kulaura upazila said, “As I earned a good profit last year, I cultivated string been on more land this year. I got bumper production, but the current market price of string been has frustrated me.” Alamin Miah, 45, of Boromchal village in the same upazila said, “We have to count a huge loss due to abnormal fall in string been price in the market. We are not getting even production cost by selling turmeric in the local markets.” While visiting different markets in the district on Thursday and Friday, this correspondent saw farmers with their yard long been waiting long hours as sale has nosedived due to thin presence of buyers. They have to sell string been at low rate as they need money for other farming.
Kulaura Upazila Agriculture Officer Saffar Uddin said, in running year bumper of yard long bean. If farmers do not get fair price of string bean they will lose interest to cultivate it.
