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Fertiliser price hike scourges farmers in 8 northern dists

RAFIQ SARKER back from Lalmonirhat
Rangpur: High price of Urea fertilizer is scourging farmers in eight northern districts in Rangpur and Dinajpur, threatening the prospect of Aman crop.
The crisis has shattered the flood recovery efforts by farmers, particularly in greater Rangpur, which was badly affected by the recent deluge.
Retail price of Urea has gone up by Tk 50 to Tk 100 per 50 kg bag at places, farmers alleged. The government-fixed price is Tk 290 per bag.
They alleged that some unscrupulous fertiliser dealers have created an artificial crisis to mint money, an allegation refuted by dealers.
On Friday, at Boderganj in Rangpur, the Upzila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) raided the godown of a fertiliser dealer.
He found 500 bags of urea there and disbursed those among farmers at fair price. Two farmers were injured in a stampede.
In Gaibahdha, two dealers were arrested for selling Urea at high price.
When contacted, Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Rafiqul Islam said there is a buffer stock of Urea and Potash fertilisers in Rangpur and adjoining
districts and there is no chance of price hike.
The DC also said the District Fertiliser Monitoring Committee has kept a close watch on the fertiliser market and action will be taken against dealers who manipulate the price.
But fertiliser dealers at different places differed with the DC's view.
Dealer Abul Kashem in Rangpur said, "The supply of Urea and Potash is less than the demand and so the prices have gone up."
Farmer Sohel Khondoker of Mahiganj alleged that dealers are realising Tk 350 to Tk 400 per bag.
During a visit to Lalmonirhat it was gathered that there are 50 BCIC (Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation which runs Urea factories) fertiliser dealers in the district but the market is controlled by one bid dealer who is a member Bangladesh Fertiliser Association. He buys quotas from other dealers during peak seasons and manipulates the market.
Lalmonirhat Additional Deputy Commissioner Babul Chandra Roy, now DC-in-charge, said action is being taken in this regard.
"We raided the fertilizer depot of one Morshed at Hatibandha and found 280
Urea bags in place of 800 allotted. He lifted the quota and sold the rest in the black market".
Some fertiliser dealers in Rangpur, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat seeking anonymity said a section of dealers are realising high prices on the plea of short supply because of lax vigilance by upazila fertiliser monitoring committees.
They said suspension of fertiliser supply to flood affected farmers in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts under the government's flood rehabilitation programme also accentuated the crisis.
The government earlier announced free distribution of 25 kg Urea per head along with Aman seed among flood affected farmers.
Fertiliser supply to about 20,000 flood affected farmers in Kurigram and Gibandha has been suspended.
Sources in Kurigram Agriculture Extension Department (DAE) said the programme has been rescheduled. Affected farmers in these districts will get the free fertiliser and seeds in the coming Rabi season.
Some farmers in Panchgachhi in Kurigram Sader upzila said, after the suspension, they thronged local mar-
kets to buy Urea. The price is higher since then.
There is confusion among people about the free fertiliser distribution programme.
Official sources in Lalmonirhat said the Deputy Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation formally inaugurated programme in the district on August 24.
But many farmers this correspondent talked to in Azitmari, Hatibandha, Khunigachh and Sader upzila said they have not heard anything got free fertiliser.
Our Nilphamari Correspondent reports: Urea prices are soaring in different areas of the district due to alleged manipulation by a section of dealers.
It is selling at between Tk 320 and Tk 350 at places in remote areas.
Requested by dealers, the Deputy Commissioner sent a fax message to the Ministry of Agriculture on August 23, seeking additional allotment of 2000 tonnes of Urea on emergency basis, sources said.
According to sources, the district agriculture office had sought 8,970 tonnes of Urea for July; 9, 680 tonnes for August and 5, 860 tonnes for September. They got 2300 and 6000 tonnes in July
and August respectively. The allotment for September is 32,000 tonnes, of which 1200 tonnes reached the district yesterday. But this is inadequate, they said.
Sources in the district agriculture office however said Amon sowing in the district has crossed the target of 1, 14, 635 hectares in the district.
Now is the peak season for farmers to use Urea in Aman fields. Some farmers this correspondent talked to said fields will turn yellowish and production will be affected if they can not use Urea within a week.
The President of the Nilphamari Fertiliser Dealers Association Abdul Wahed said prices are soaring because the supply is less than the demand. He denied the allegation of market manipulation by a section of dealers. There are 73 dealers in the district.
But many farmers alleged that some dealers at times hide their stocks and tell them that the stock is exhausted only to realise high price.