A Correspondent :
The prices of the vegetables have fallen sharply when the huge quantities of vegetables started coming in the market in the early winter. Although the fallen price had satisfied the consumers, it had aggrieved the farmers .
When this Correspondent visited a number of kitchen markets like Garaganj, Dakbangla, Bhatai, Seikhpara and Bishoykhali in Jhenaidah, Maaagura, Ichhakhada, Alamkhali and Sripur in Magura and Sarajganj and Dimgaidah in Chuadanga witnessed that the prices of all sorts of vegetable have fallen sharp.
Each kilogram of brinzal or egg plant was selling at Taka 20 to 25 as aganst Taka 50 a few days back, radish at Taka 15 to 20 as against Taka 40, beans at Taka 20 as against Taka 50, gourd (potol) at Taka 25 as against Taka 50, both coliflower and cabbage at Taka 25 to 30 as against Taka 50, red and green amaranth at Taka 15 as against Taka 40, korolla at Taka 40 as against Taka 80, basil at Taka 15 as against Taka 30, cucumber at Tk 20 as against Taka 35, sweet pumpkin at Taka 25 as against Taka 49 and spinach at Taka 390 as against Taka 50.
Further, each piece of large size pumpkin (lou) is selling at Taka 25 to 30 as against Taka 50, and Chalkumra (jali) at Taka 15 as against Taka 30 each piece.
The price of green chile had fallen sharp as each kilogram of the same had came down at Taka 40 a kilogram from Taka 140, which was almost unbelievable to the consumers.
Rahmat Ali, a vegetable farmer at Seikhpara Bazer under Jhenaidah when asked said, although the price has fallen drastically in the market, the vegetable farmers were not unhappy with the sale proceeds.
Rahmat Ali said, most of the vegetables plots were affected due to continuous rainfall, started in early July. As the rain water had recedes from the plots, the vegetables were growing satisfactorily. It has been helping growing more vegetables on the lands, he added.
Manir Hossain, a farmer at Kaliganj said, they were at a loss when the vegetables plots were affected by continuous rainfall in last four months. But they started sending the vegetables gradually to Dhaka, Sylhet, Barishal and Comilla markets.
The vegetables from Jhenaidah, Jessore, Chuadanga and Magura meet at least 60 of the total demands of the markets, Manir said.
Beside the vegetables growers and vendors, the price fallen had also brought smile of the faces of the common consumers. Swapan Mandal, a bank official and Nasrin Sultana, a primary school teacher at Bhatai Bazer weekly market when asked said, they were impressed with the price fallen in early winter. The trend will help consume adequate vegetables for the common people, they said.
Deputy Director (DD) of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Jhenaidah Shah Md. Akramul Haque said, the farmers had to count heavy loss when the incessant rainfall had damaged their vegetable plots time and again.
To make the deficiency, the farmers once again had brought their lands under vegetables farming in the current winter. The growing trend of the vegetables had favoured the fate of the farmers as each and every plot had ensured huge crops in the season. It might help recover the loss of the vegetable farmers, deputy director said.
11,050 hectares of land was bought under vegetable farming in Jhenaidah, 9,000 hectares in Magura, 6500 hectares in Chuadanga and 5050 hectares of land was brought under the vegetables farming in Meherpur in the current winter. Of the total land the farmers had already covered at least 70 per cent under the winter vegetable farming, the department of agriculture extension office sources said.
