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June
19, 2000
Jessore
(UNB) – The delay in launching paddy procurement drive in the
district has started taking its toll on the poor farmers as paddy
price continues to show a downward spiral.
The
procurement drive could not yet fully be launched in the district for
lack of space in godowns as the authorities failed to shift their
previous year’s grain stocks.
The
boro procurement drive was scheduled to begin in the district in
mid-May and continue till June 30.
So
far, 5,500 mts of rice and only 1,500 mts of paddy were procured from
the district against the target of 6,000 mts of paddy and 6,000 mts of
rice.
Agriculture
officials said farmers of the district produced some 4.54 lakh mts of
boro paddy this season surpassing the target of 3.40 lakh mts.
Under
this circumstance, Aman procurement drive is also being hampered due
to space shortage in the government godowns.
The
officials said some 280 mts of aman paddy have so far been procured
only for the godown in Sadar thana against the target of 600 mts.
There
are eight godowns in the district with a capacity to store some 19,426
mts of grains.
Having
failed to sell their paddies to government procurement centres, the
farmers are now selling their produces in the open market at throwaway
prices.
Paddy
is now selling at Tk 220-230 per maund as against the government rate
of Tk 330.
Taking
advantage of this situation, a section of middlemen and traders are
hoarding paddy in a blind pursuit of profit.
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