Boro paddy planting has started in Melandah upazila of Jamalpur.However, the cost of boro paddy cultivation has increased.The farmers said that the price has gone up along with the increase in the use of pea irrigation pumps, diesel-powered machines, pesticides and paddy planters to prepare the land.Although last year's boro season cost Tk 13,000 to Tk 14,000 per bigha, farmers are expecting it to increase to Tk 16,000 to Tk 18,000 this year.
However, farmers are worried about the price of paddy this season. According to the Upazila Agriculture Extension Department, the target has been set for 20,340 hectares of land in the Upazila Boro season. Workers have come from different unions of the upazila to plant paddy in this union.
Rubel Mia, a farmer from Charpolisha Uor Para area, said, “Everything has gone up. The price of irrigation pump has gone up from Tk 2500 last year to Tk 3,000 this time. Prices of everything from seedlings to fertilizers have gone up. However, if the price of paddy does not increase then we will incur losses by planting paddy.
Meanwhile wages are high so now I have come here to plant paddy. The work will be completed before three o'clock in the afternoon. One day's wage is Tk 600. So I came to this area from there to plant paddy.” Farhad Reza, a land owner, said that in the meanwhile, planting of paddy has started everywhere.
People can't be found even with high price for planting paddy. That is why the price of rice has gone up. Power Tiller drivers say diesel prices were lower last year. At that time Tk 1500 was taken for cultivating plow per bigha of land.
The price of diesel has gone up and the price has gone up. If we do not increase the price then we lose. That is why we have increased the price a little.
Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Faisal Ahmed said, the cost of boro crop has increased a bit this time due to increase in diesel price. Boro paddy seeds have been distributed among the farmers by the Department of Agricultural Extension.
And farmers will be given machines for cutting paddy at half price. This time we are hoping for a good harvest in Boro.