Fixing prices of agricultural products

Although farmers are the key-role players of our agriculture sector, they are not getting fair prices for their produces. Even our neighbouring country India has agricultural price commission whose main responsibility is to determine the prices of agro-products both in domestic and international level. Unfortunately, we don't have that kind of a commission to protect our farmers' interest. It will be difficult for a country like Bangladesh to establish an independent price commission within a short time but the government can set up a Post Harvest Committee (PHC) hiring people from agricultural universities, DAE, BARC, BARI etc. PHC will be responsible for determining the prices of all agricultural products considering the production costs of the particular crops with a profit margin. To control the value chain, from farm level to consumers' level, government can employ licensed buying companies (LBC) under a national stock company. I request the authorities concerned to take necessary steps for protecting the interest of our farmers.

M.G. Ferdous
Faculty Member, Department of Entomology
EXIM Bank Agricultural University Bangladesh