Shortage of urea fertilizer : Phulbari Aman farmers in distress
Mostafizur Rahman Jahangir, Phulbari (Kurigram)
In the current Aman season, Aman has been cultivated on 11,380 hectares of land in Phulbari Upazila of Kurigram. Farmers are busy hoping for a good rice harvest. However, many farmers are suffering due to not getting the required amount of urea fertilizer during the crucial time of cultivation. They complain that they are not getting the required amount of fertilizer even after visiting the dealer's shop for a few days.
Farmers complained that after two-three days of rotation, 10 kg of urea fertilizer is often being given. Since the amount of fertilizer required in the land is not available, some are forced to buy fertilizer from local retail stores at higher prices. On the one hand, this increases the cost of production, and on the other hand, there is also concern about the yield as the fertilizer cannot be applied to the land at the right time.
Upazila Agriculture Office sources said, the allocation of urea fertilizer in Phulbari in August 2026 was 595 metric tons and 364 metric tons were allocated in September. These fertilizers are being distributed to farmers through 7 BCIC dealers in the upazila. Each dealer has an allocation of 52 metric tons. Out of the six unions in the upazila, there are two dealers in Bhangamor Union No. 5.
Farmers claim that if arrangements are made to sell fertilizer through authorized retailers in big markets of the upazila, in addition to dealers, their suffering will be reduced. This will allow them to procure the required fertilizer at the right time and at the fixed price.
However, BCIC dealers claim that they are distributing fertilizer as per the allocation. Many farmers are storing more fertilizer than required at home. Due to this, there is a temporary crisis at times and many farmers are returning without getting fertilizer.
Phulbari Upazila Agriculture Officer Rafiqul Islam said that this season, Aman has been cultivated on 11,380 hectares of land in the upazila. Due to low rainfall, irrigation is required in some lands. Many farmers have already completed the first, second and third stages of application of urea fertilizer.
Farmers said, if fertilizer is not available as per the demand even after allocation, it will be difficult to achieve the desired yield of Aman. Therefore, they have demanded that the fertilizer distribution system be brought into order and fertilizer should be provided at a fixed price as per the farmers' needs.
