Rice prices rise in N-dists in peak harvesting season

The prices of coarse rice has increased by at least 7 per cent in last ten days, according to traders and farmers here.

A 84kg bag of BR-11, a medium coarse variety, is selling at Tk 1290 to Tk 1,350 against Tk 1,150 to Tk 1,180 two weeks back.

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Lower yield of due to pest attack, inferior quality seeds, flood in some area in October and pest attack are the reasons for the price hike, they said.

Abul Kashem, a trader at Mahiganj, the largest rice wholesale market in northern districts, said the prices may soar further because traders are yet to start buying rice in full swing.

Asked, District Food Officer of Kurigram Rabiul Ahsan told The Daily Star that rice price will be downing after the completion of aman harvest. " I think our enlisted dealers are waiting for taking the advantage," he added.

Sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said 10,49,000 hectares of land were brought under Aman cultivation this year in eight districts under greater Rangpur and Dinajpur. According to their estimate, the production is around 23, 95,000 tonnes against a target of 26,35,000 tonnes.

Sources at the office of the Regional Director of DAE in Rangpur said the production target could not be attained as Aman paddy on about 51000 hectares was damaged due to flood. The production is only 60 to 70 per cent of the target, which is a record fall in yield, they said.

Sohel Khondker, a farmer in Mahiganj in Rangpur Sader upazila told this correspondent that per acre yield of Aman was "very low" this year due to low rainfall and pest attack during maturing stage of sheaf in September and October.

"Inferior quality of seed is another major cause. Most of the farmers cultivated BRRI-11 variety of Aman paddy this year."

Explaining, he said the same variety is being used for many years. This might have a degenerating effect, resulting in low yield.

As farmers has no alternative, they are to cultivate this variety, he said, adding, this should be replaced by other high yielding varieties.

To this, Rangpur DAE Additional Director Zakir Hossen said a variety of rice can yield paddy up to the expectation for three or four years. Gradually the variety loses its yield capacity, he added.

He suggested that BRRI-11 should be replaced with BRRI-dhan 44, introduced jointly by RDRS and Bangladesh Research Institute.

Price hike of agricultural imputes like diesel, fertiliser and pesticides also account for soar in rice prices because of increase in cost of production, he said.

Farmer Udoy Chandra Barmon of Najirerhat in rangpur Sader upazila said, "Our production cost will not be recovered even if we sell rice at the present rate".

The high price of rice during the peak harvesting season also worries authorities about rice procurement.

Aman procurement will be difficult this year as the market price is higher by Tk 2 to 3 than the government's procurement price of Tk 14 per kilogram, while the market price hovers around Tk 17 per kiligram, traders said.

Though the drive began ion November 25, there has not been any procurement as enlisted dealers did not show any interest to sigh contracts with the local food offices, sources said.