Haor farmers forced to sell wet Boro paddy at lower prices

Farmers in the haor region have suffered a further decline in Boro paddy prices as intermittent rain and clouds continue to prevent proper drying of harvested crops.

Farmers said harvested paddy has become wet, with grains sprouting, making it unsuitable for market sale, forcing distress sales that often fail to cover production costs.

Boro accounts for nearly 55 percent of Bangladesh’s annual rice output, with the season running from December to April.

To ease the crisis, the government has brought forward Boro rice procurement in six haor districts by 12 days from today. The districts are Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Netrokona, and Kishoreganj. Paddy procurement will also begin across the nation today as per the previous schedule.

Yet many farmers, unable to stock their harvest due to rain, have already sold to millers and traders at far cheaper rates.

Farmers interviewed by The Daily Star said prices plunged from Tk 750–1,100 per maund (37.32 kg) earlier in the season to Tk 600 now, nearly half the production cost.

Bidhan Sarkar of Kalmakanda upazila in Netrokona said he sold at Tk 750 per maund initially, but yesterday the price dropped to Tk 600.

“Due to inadequate sunlight, paddy cannot be dried properly, leading to further decline,” he said.

The rates were similar at markets in Barhatta upazila.

At Fakirer Bazar, farmer Roni Mia said the millers and traders were offering Tk 600 per maund. Just days ago, he sold the paddy at Tk 800.

“No one is willing to buy my wet paddy,” he said.

Rice trader Khokon Mia said, “If wet paddy is stored, it sprouts. We bought some at Tk 600–650 [per maund] but faced losses. We will resume once there is sunshine.”

Rakibul Hasan, additional deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Netrokona, said 8,190 hectares of haor land and 5,276 hectares of non-haor land were submerged, raising concerns about meeting the production target for the district.

The department estimates that more than 80,000 farmers have been affected directly due to the situation, according to him.

In Kishoreganj, farmer Alim Uddin of Mithamoin said he cultivated paddy on nearly three hectares of land. “In mid-April, I sold at Tk 750–800 per maund. Just five days ago, I had to sell at Tk 700. Traders said the colour deteriorated, further reducing the price.”

Ashraful Islam of Itna upazila said he struggled to sell 100 maunds three days ago. “Traders offered Tk 600. After visiting 10 markets, I sold at Tk 650. But my production cost exceeds Tk 1,200 per maund.”

Md Sadiqur Rahman, deputy director of DAE in Kishoreganj, said rain since yesterday morning has raised river and floodwater levels, submerging nearly 7,000 hectares of haor paddy fields.

Preliminary estimates suggest more than 21,000 farmers have been affected, according to him.

In Habiganj, farmer Azizul Islam of Baniachong said his harvested paddy is rotting due to cloudy weather. “At the start of the season, I sold at Tk 1,000–1,100 per maund. Now I am forced to sell at Tk 600.”

According to Habiganj DAE, 11,300 hectares of ripe paddy fields have been submerged, with about 20,000 farmers affected as of May 2, said Additional Deputy Director Deepak Kumar Biswas.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions over the 48 hours from 1:00pm yesterday, warning of temporary waterlogging and possible landslides in hilly areas.

As Boro production increased from 2.01 crore tonnes in FY22 to 2.13 crore tonnes in the last fiscal year, the government raised the target to 2.24 crore tonnes this season.

The government’s Boro acreage also increased by 3.29 percent to 50.50 lakh hectares in the ongoing 2025–26 fiscal year, according to provisional DAE data.

Despite rising cultivation costs and losses due to the weather this season, the government on April 22 announced procurement prices would remain unchanged.

The food ministry this season will buy five lakh tonnes of paddy at Tk 36 per kg, a fraction of the targeted production.

Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid spoke to reporters about the haor region’s situation after attending the inauguration of the nationwide Notun Kuri Sports 2026 by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Sylhet.

Amin said announcements will be made at the union level to collect paddy at fair prices.

If purchased directly from farmers, they could earn up to 30 percent more, he said.

He added that, alongside a three‑month food‑friendly programme for severely affected haor farmers, new projects will be taken to extend support to other affected farmers as well.

[Our Kishoreganj Correspondent Tafsilul Aziz contributed to this report]