[🇧🇩] Agriculture in Bangladesh

[Saif]

Barishal Region: Capsicum cultivation gaining ground

The commercial cultivation of capsicum is getting popular in the Barishal region, presenting new agricultural opportunities for local farmers. Originating from South America, this fruit, also known as bell pepper or sweet pepper, is a favoured culinary ingredient and is rich in antioxidants.

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Barishal Region: Capsicum cultivation gaining ground

The commercial cultivation of capsicum is getting popular in the Barishal region, presenting new agricultural opportunities for local farmers. Originating from South America, this fruit, also known as bell pepper or sweet pepper, is a favoured culinary ingredient and is rich in antioxidants.

Capsicum is being cultivated across Mehendiganj, Hijla, Muladi, and Sadar upazilas of Barishal, as well as Amtoli, Taltoli, and Patharghata upazilas of Barguna, Mathbaria upazila of Pirojpur, and Char Fassion and Monpura upazilas of Bhola.

The plants bear fruit twice a year, allowing farmers to harvest twice after planting the saplings once.

During a visit to Loraipur Char under Barishal Sadar upazila, it was observed that capsicum has been cultivated on several acres of land alongside other winter vegetables, watermelons, and melons.

Muhammad Ibrahim, a farmer from Bhola Sadar upazila, said, "These lands on shoals are ideal for capsicum cultivation due to ample sunlight, easy access to water, and fertility of soil."

However, Shamsu Mia, a farmer from Barishal Sadar, pointed out the high costs associated with capsicum cultivation.

"It costs Tk 6-7 lakh to cultivate it on per bigha of land. But the price we get for our crop is much less compared to our investment. The wholesale price is usually Tk 80-90 per kg, while the retail price goes up to Tk 120-160."

Abu Sardar, a farmer from Kalapara upazila, said he cultivated capsicum on two acres of land this year after noticing a good demand in the market. "If I can make a profit this time, I will expand cultivation to more land next year," he added.

Some farmers have claimed they did not receive any support from the agriculture office.

"We are renting land to cultivate capsicum, investing our own money to produce and sell it. If the government had provided seeds or loans at low interest, we would have benefitted," said a farmer.GMM Kabir Khan, a horticulture expert from the Department of Agricultural Extension in Barishal, said a total of 1,353 tonnes of capsicum were produced on 76 hectares of land in Barishal division in the 2023-24 fiscal year.

Kabir refuted the allegations that the DAE has not been supportive of farmers.

"We always support farmers by providing advice to them and encouraging the cultivation of crops based on area and season," he said.​

 

[Saif]

Watermelon boom in Patuakhali

Patuakhali’s watermelon growers are witnessing a bumper harvest this year, with buyers rushing to purchase the fruit directly from the fields.

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Watermelon boom in Patuakhali
Farmers eye bumper sales

Patuakhali's watermelon growers are witnessing a bumper harvest this year, with buyers rushing to purchase the fruit directly from the fields.

Favourable weather conditions have contributed to the high yield, said officials. They said watermelon has been cultivated on 27,079 hectares of land this season, nearly 4,000 hectares more than last year. The production target stands at 8.66 lakh tonnes.

A visit to Amkhola village in Galachipa upazila revealed sprawling fields of watermelons in varying sizes.

Farmer Barek Mridha said, "Due to Ramadan, the demand for watermelon is expected to be high. Wholesale buyers from different parts of the country have already arrived and are providing advance payments."

Mojibur Rahman, a farmer from Rangabali, echoed him.

Farmers said traders from Dhaka and other regions have already provided advance payments to many of them.

Aslam Sheikh, a trader from Dhaka's Kadamtali area, said, "I am currently in Rangabali to purchase watermelons and send them to Dhaka via launches."

Md Nazrul Islam, deputy director of Patuakhali DAE, said, "The fertile soil and favourable climate have contributed to high yields. This year, we expect total sales revenue in the district to surpass Tk 2,000 crore."​

 

[Saif]

Boosting farm produce export

Despite repeated emphasis on increasing farm produce exports as a means of diversifying the country's export basket, significant progress remains elusive. While there have been occasional surges, the sector continues to fall short of realising its full potential. Currently, farm produce exports con

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Boosting farm produce export
Published :
Feb 22, 2025 22:50
Updated :
Feb 22, 2025 22:50

Despite repeated emphasis on increasing farm produce exports as a means of diversifying the country's export basket, significant progress remains elusive. While there have been occasional surges, the sector continues to fall short of realising its full potential. Currently, farm produce exports contribute only US$1.0 billion, accounting for a mere 2.87 per cent of the country's total exports.

One of the most frequently cited barriers to farm produce exports, particularly those intended for human consumption, is the stringent and often cumbersome sanitary and phytosanitary testing procedures imposed by most importing countries. Additionally, exporters must comply with numerous regulations and safety protocols specific to each destination market, adding to the complexity and cost of exporting agricultural goods. The challenges extend beyond international compliance requirements. A critical domestic factor impeding export growth-especially for primary agricultural produce such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices etc-is the absence of robust policies governing farm produce cultivation. Notably, the lack of a comprehensive pesticide policy has led to widespread and unregulated use of chemical pesticides, which in turn hinders the country's ability to meet international safety standards. This issue poses a significant obstacle to achieving the government's ambitious target of earning US$5.0 billion from agricultural exports by 2030.

The issue was prominently highlighted during a discussion meeting titled Sustainable Agriculture, organised by a local think-tank Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD). The keynote presenter noted that despite the enactment of the Pesticide Act in 2018, a well-defined pesticide policy is yet to be formulated. Consequently, both farmers and exporters struggle to adhere to international food safety standards. Currently, the country uses approximately 40,000 tonnes of pesticides annually. Without a clear regulatory framework, misuse and overuse of pesticides have become pervasive, exacerbating environmental and health concerns. Experts warn that excessive pesticide use has dire consequences, including soil degradation, water contamination, and harm to aquatic ecosystems. For instance, the indiscriminate use of herbicides has been linked to a decline in fish populations in the haor regions. Moreover, the negative impact of pesticide overuse extends to pollinators. The decline of honeybee populations due to pesticide exposure is particularly alarming, as pollination is crucial for 87 per cent of crop varieties. If honeybee populations continue to dwindle, agricultural productivity could suffer a sharp decline, further jeopardising food security and the country's export potential.

Given these challenges, the urgent need for a well-structured and enforceable pesticide policy cannot be overstated. Such a policy should emphasise responsible pesticide use while incorporating provisions for farmers' training, stringent safety standards, and environmental protection measures. A comprehensive approach to pesticide regulation would not only ensure compliance with international market requirements but also safeguard sustainable agricultural practices. It is imperative that the relevant authorities take immediate action to address these issues. By implementing a well-thought-out pesticide policy and enhancing support mechanisms for farmers, the country can pave the way for a stable and expanding overseas market for its farm produce.​

 

[Saif]

Protect our farmers from their grievances

Farmers are disconnected from the government, lacking timely support, even during natural disasters.

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Protect our farmers from their grievances

The July uprising revealed two distinct images: one of an urban political massacre and the other of silent observation from the villages. Though the clashes during the July protests did not spread to the countryside, its messages were conveyed to the rural people, especially the farmers. Those farmers began envisioning a future free from exploitative input costs, unfair crop pricing, and bureaucratic corruption. Sadly, those dreams remain largely unfulfilled. The benefits of government subsidies for essential agricultural inputs like fuel, electricity, and fertilisers are still not reaching the farmers, who need them most. Who enjoys those benefits, then?

Let's look at a few examples.

Cauliflower growers in Bogura have faced hardship this winter. On December 28, the price of cauliflowers was Tk 2-3 per kg at Mohasthan wholesale market. On the same day, I visited a kitchen market in Dhaka's Mirpur area, where cauliflowers were selling at Tk 30-40 per kg. A Mohasthan trader explained that transport to Dhaka raises the cost of one kg of cauliflower by Tk 8-9, suggesting a retail price of Tk 12-15 per kg in the capital. The additional Tk 15 charged in Dhaka goes entirely to the market middlemen. Meanwhile, farmers in Bogura lose Tk 15,000-20,000 per bigha (33 decimals) due to low prices.

Meanwhile, according to the field wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), potato cultivation this season reached record levels, with 5.24 lakh hectares planted nationwide, compared to 4.56 lakh hectares last season. Driven by past high prices, farmers expanded potato acreage, hoping for greater profits. However, current prices are so low that farmers can't recover their investments. In the northern districts, various kinds of potatoes are being sold at Tk 8-10 per kg, while production costs are around Tk 15-17 per kg.

On the other hand, potato storage costs have risen by Tk 1 per kg, from Tk 7 to Tk 8, as announced by the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association (BCSA). Due to the sudden fall in prices and the increase in storage costs, farmers in the northern region protested the move by throwing potatoes on the streets recently.

According to the DAE, Bangladesh's annual potato demand is around 90 lakh tonnes, but this year's production is projected to be around 1.20 crore tonnes, creating a potential surplus of 30 lakh tonnes. According to the BCSA, the country's 350 functioning cold storage facilities have a combined capacity of only 45 lakh tonnes. Historically, potato exports have been minimal, averaging just 50,000 tonnes annually over the past nine years, per the DAE data. Even doubling the exports to 100,000 tonnes this year leaves a staggering 29-lakh-tonne surplus. Farmers and cold storage owners are left wondering how this surplus will be managed.

On February 8, at a press conference, BCSA President Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu claimed that potato prices would not exceed Tk 40 per kg this year, asserting no price manipulation. This raises a serious question: when the wholesale market price of potatoes is now Tk 10 per kg on average, why will the price rise to Tk 40? Farmers are incurring losses by selling potatoes at Tk 10 per kg, while middlemen and traders are making profit of Tk 30 per kg.

Similar struggles plague farmers of other crops. Onion growers in Kushtia and Pabna, for instance, have suffered losses of Tk 50,000-60,000 per bigha, according to a recent report in this daily.

Rice cultivation offers little profit to Bangladeshi farmers. Over the past two years, farmers have struggled to cover expenses of growing rice. According to the auto rice mill owners and farmers in the northern districts, producing rice from paddy costs only Tk 40-42 per kg, yet consumers have to pay Tk 65-70 per kg at the retail market right now. The disparity is even greater with fragrant rice (Chinigura). In Dinajpur, farmers told me that the production cost of fragrant rice is Tk 50-52 per kg, while packaged rice sells at a staggering Tk 145-150 per kg. This massive price difference remains unexplained by traders and government agencies alike, raising questions about the government's role in addressing this market anomaly.

Is that all? The production cost is increasing year after year in every sector, from buying seeds to producing crops. Market players, against whom the government takes little action, benefit from inflated market prices, incentivising farmers to cultivate more land, often leading to losses.

According to recent media reports, this year, seed and fertiliser prices have surged for potato and Boro paddy cultivation. Even under the interim government, potato growers bought seeds from the government at nearly double the fixed price. During the potato season, farmers from the northern area bought TSP fertiliser at a price that is Tk 350 more per sack than the government fixed price. Alleged artificial shortages are driving up prices, while government oversight (surveillance) remains ineffective, while farmers bear the brunt of it. Even in the current Boro paddy planting season, farmers have to spend almost Tk 3-4 per kg more than the price set by the government to buy almost every variety of fertiliser.

Even two decades ago, Bangladeshi farmers relied on traditional methods to grow crops, using their seeds, organic fertilisers, and Indigenous technology. Pest infestation was less severe, resulting in lower production costs. Today, the irony is that technological advancements have paradoxically made farmers more vulnerable in terms of increasing production costs. They are now more dependent on external inputs (technologies) for everything, from hybrid seeds to threshing crops. Now, big industrial enterprises have created a big profit market in these places by supplying technologies and other facilities. Thus, both farmers and consumers are trapped in an inflated commodity market.

The reality is, farmers are taking out loans to cultivate crops, and they have to sell them at low prices without taking the crops home to pay off the loan as soon as possible. As a result, the crops that the farmers are producing, they themselves are not able to consume. At the beginning of the season, after selling their own produced crops at low prices, they have to buy them from the market again at higher prices for the rest of the year. What could be a bigger grievance for a farmer's family than this?

The interim government has formed several reform commissions to address public demands. However, these commissions have been formed on issues raised by intellectuals and government affiliates, neglecting the distant voices of farmers.

There is no doubt that the agricultural system of Bangladesh is going through an uncontrolled, mismanaged situation. Farmers, tempted by the previous year's high prices, often overproduce, leading to losses. Essential imports are often ill-timed, exacerbating market imbalances. Government offices struggle to accurately convey field-level realities to policymakers. Farmers are disconnected from the government, lacking timely support, even during natural disasters. The absence of a strong national-level farmers' organisation and effective political representation further silences their concerns. The suffering of marginal farmers is not reaching the government.

The reality is, our farmers are not doing well. We should remember that if the farmer suffers, every citizen in the country will suffer. Therefore, protecting our farmers and, if necessary, creating a permanent commission to solve their grievances are the need of the hour now.

Mostafa Shabuj is a journalist at The Daily Star.​

 

[Saif]

Maize continues to win farmers’ hearts

Maize, a little-known crop three decades ago, continues its triumph over wheat, paddy and other crops due to its higher yield and profitability.

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Maize continues to win farmers’ hearts

Farmers say they prefer growing maize over other crops due to its consistent demand in the feed industry. Photo: Ahmed Humayun Kabir Topu

Maize, a little-known crop three decades ago, continues its triumph over wheat, paddy and other crops due to its higher yield and profitability.

In the current fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 ending in June, maize acreage has reached 6.72 lakh hectares, setting a new record.

The acreage was 6.42 lakh hectares in fiscal 2023-24, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

Two and a half decades ago, maize was grown on only around 5,000 hectares, official data shows.

This shift occurred as many growers switched from wheat to maize during the last winter, the main season for maize cultivation, according to estimates by the DAE.

Farmers say they prefer growing maize over other crops due to its consistent demand in the feed industry, which caters to poultry, fish, and livestock farmers. Besides, maize can be cultivated alongside potatoes and other vegetables.

Bangladesh's feed industry requires over 60 lakh tonnes of maize annually, with domestically produced grains meeting 85 percent of the demand, according to an estimate by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Farmers report increasing demand from local feed mills, it added.

"We have never had trouble selling maize. We can sell the grain at a satisfactory price," said Bidhan Chandra Sen, a farmer from Baura in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat, a northwestern border district.

A USDA report earlier stated that farmers have been profiting from maize as demand for local production has risen in the feed industry since 2021.

Moksed Ali, a maize trader in Lalmonirhat's Baura area, said feed companies have opened purchasing centres in his area.

"We buy maize from farmers and supply it to feed companies," he said.

Nazar Mahmud, a farmer from the Char Gaddimari area of the Teesta River in Lalmonirhat's Hatibandha upazila, said they always have buyers for maize.

"Some maize traders have given me advance payments to buy maize this year," he said, expecting to sell the grain for over Tk 1,300 per maund.

The 65-year-old farmer expanded his maize cultivation to 15 bighas this year, up from 10 bighas the previous year, aiming for higher profits.

Md Mahfuzul Hoque, principal scientific officer of the plant breeding division at the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI), said maize is now cultivated across the country, except in hilly regions.

"It is more profitable than wheat. In many cases, traders buy directly from fields. So, many farmers have shifted from wheat. Another benefit is that maize can be grown using intercropping methods," he said.

The acreage of wheat, once Bangladesh's second-largest cereal crop, has hit a record low in FY25 as many producers opted to grow potatoes, maize, and other high-value crops, according to DAE data.

Maize is now the second-largest cereal after rice produced in Bangladesh.

Md Obaidur Rahman Mondol, director of the Field Service Wing of the DAE, said maize can tolerate a lot of stress.

"Besides, it not only offers good prices but can also be stored easily," he said.

Dilbar Hossain, a 60-year-old farmer from Char Shoulmari on the Teesta River bed in Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat, said maize cultivation has helped alleviate poverty in the char area.

"We have become self-reliant by cultivating maize. Maize traders and feed company representatives buy directly from us."

Lalmonirhat farmer Sen said he has increased his cultivation area this year and expects a favourable yield to bring him a good harvest.

For the current FY, the DAE has set a production target of 69.78 lakh tonnes of maize.

Mondol said the production target will be achieved this year. "As of now, the crop condition has been good. There are no reports of pest attacks," he said.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) recorded maize production at 45.6 lakh tonnes in FY23.

In January this year, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in a report on Bangladesh, estimated that maize production would reach a record 52 lakh tonnes, largely due to increased sowing driven by strong domestic demand and high prices during the 2024 planting season.

"Favourable weather conditions and widespread use of high-yielding seed varieties have supported above-average yields," the report stated.

Most maize seeds are imported, as locally developed varieties by the Maize Research Institute have yet to reach farmers on a large scale.

Principal Scientific Officer of the Maize Research Institute Hoque said the institute has developed 20 maize varieties, one of which—BWMRI-2—has received a positive response from farmers.

"The yield of the variety we have developed is comparable to imported maize seeds," he said. "However, due to a lack of adequate land, we cannot produce enough seeds."

Hoque said his office has requested land from various state agencies to expand seed production.

"Maize is a staple food in many countries. In our country, its use is currently limited to the feed industry. However, several maize-based industries could be established here."​