Asim Saeed, Jibannagar (Chuadanga)

During the current Rabi season, there is a shortage of fertilizer at the government (BCIC) fertilizer sales centers in Jibannagar market in Chuadanga. Fertilizer dealers said that the supply is low compared to the demand.

However, local farmers claim that the supply of fertilizer in the open market is normal. However, the price is high. Fertilizer dealers are selling fertilizer secretly at higher prices by syndicating. They are worried about the artificial shortage of fertilizer at the beginning of the season.

Farmers complained that instead of keeping in touch with the farmers at the field level, the officials of the Agriculture Department have developed friendships with fertilizer traders. And they will face big losses due to this.

Hasanuzzaman of Minajpur village said, this year I have cultivated potatoes on 5 bighas of land. I did not get any fertilizer from BCIC or BADC dealers while planting seeds.

He said, when I went to the BCIC fertilizer dealer point in charge of Banka Union, the manager said there was no DAP fertilizer. When I went to the BADC fertilizer dealer of this union, he said they did not have any other fertilizer except urea and a few bags of MOP fertilizer.

Hasanuzzaman also said, to save the crop, I had to buy fertilizer from the retail market at a higher price. I was forced to buy fertilizer from Bakhuchra market at a higher price of DAP of 700 to 800 taka per bag.

Mofazzel, a farmer from Kardappur village, said, when I went to the BCIC fertilizer dealer, he said there was no fertilizer. After going for two or three days, he gave me one bag of MOP and one bag of TSP fertilizer. I need 15 to 20 bags. What will happen with one bag of fertilizer there?

According to the information, there are 10 BCIC fertilizer dealers approved in Jibannagar Upazila and 20 BADC registered fertilizer dealers. Again, BCIC has 10 fertilizer dealers who get allocation through BADC.

According to the Upazila Agricultural Extension Department, in the current Rabi season, there is cultivation of various varieties on 10,592 hectares of land in the upazila. Of which, various types of vegetables are cultivated on 2,850 hectares, corn on 5,840 hectares, bhagum on 230 hectares, mustard on 397 hectares, potatoes on 890 hectares, lentils on 150 hectares, winter onions on 180 hectares and garlic on 55 hectares of land.

According to the Upazila Agriculture Department, in the current season, there is a demand for urea fertilizer of 15,987 metric tons, TSP 6,298 metric tons, DAP 6,380 metric tons and MOP 7,961 metric tons in Jibannagar upazila.

To address the fertilizer crisis, the ministry has been requested to provide additional 1,610 metric tons of urea, 1,106 metric tons of TSP and 539 metric tons of DAP from October to December.

The allocation received compared to the demand was 8,570 metric tons of urea, 2,450 metric tons of TSP, 4,577 metric tons of DAP and 3,15 metric tons of MOP. Which is much less than the demand.

On a visit to Jibannagar market, it was seen that although the government has set the price of DAP fertilizer per bushel at 1,050 taka, it is being sold in the market for 1,500 to 1,600 taka. MOP fertilizer of 1,000 taka is being sold for 1,100 taka and TSP at 1,350 taka.

In addition, DAP (Morocco) is being sold for 1,500 taka, DAP Patanga-Bangla for 2,500 taka. Dealers are secretly selling Bangla TSP by storing it in other godowns instead of keeping it in their own godowns.

In this context, BCIC Fertilizer Dealers Association General Secretary Md. Mosabul Islam Liton said that the fertilizer available in the allocation is less than the demand. This year, potato and corn cultivation has increased in the field, along with the demand for DAP, MOP and TSP fertilizers. The allocation is being sold within one to two days. Due to this, fertilizer is not available in the market.

Jibannagar Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Alamgir Hossain said that the supply of fertilizer is less than the demand in the current season. Dealers are not getting timely supply of fertilizer. Due to which there is some shortage of fertilizer in potato and corn cultivation. Agriculture officials are monitoring the market management.

Jibannagar UNO Mohammad Al Amin said, there has been some problem with fertilizer. Efforts are being made to reduce the allocation from small unions in proportion and divide it into large unions. The Agriculture Department has been instructed to monitor the market management.