A dire consequence of blockade

THERE has been a bumper production of Aman paddy this year. That should naturally have led to lower prices in the market for consumers. At the same time, had circumstances been more propitious, growers of Aman paddy could have expected, for the first time in the past three years, profits from the produce after continued losses over a number of seasons.
In the past month and more, political restiveness in the form of hartals and blockades have put paid to the hopes engendered by this bumper production of the crop. It is once again the growers who see their hopes dashed because of the grave difficulties in transporting Aman rice from one area to another owing to the political situation. Gluts have grown as moving stocks and milling have become problematic due to transportation blockades.
While supply side should have been bolstered through increased output, consumers are having to purchase rice at higher prices. Where providing relief to growers is concerned, the suggestion made by Brac that the government ensure a minimum of 5,00,000 tons of paddy in stockpile sounds reasonable. The problem, though, is that political chaos has created a situation where the authorities are not quite sure if they can create a stock of even 2,00,000 tons of the crop.
The situation should be seen as a wake-up call to the nation's political circles, on both sides. The farmer needs fair prices for his produce. The consumer must not see his pocket thinning as he tries to buy rice. Can politics at all ensure that?