The state-of-the-art Farmer’s Village Super Market at Bhabdahapar of Manirampur in Jashore where fish, vegetables and milk produced by two and a half thousand local farmers were being sold at fair prices before the pandemic, has been closed for about a year.
However, due to the outbreak of the Corona epidemic and various conditions imposed on the wholesalers by the authorities, many had to close down their business. As a result, marginal fish farmers are struggling to reach the far-flung markets due to lack of buyers whereas, only the milk market is running on a limited scale.
Farmer’s Village Super Market was constructed on one acre and 54 decimals of land near Panchakari bazar under Nehalpur union of Manirampur upazila at a cost of around Tk 20 crore with the funding of Solidified Network Asia (Netherlands) and under the supervision of Jagorani Chakra. The trade activities officially started on 26 February 2019.
Two and a half thousand farmers of the area are under the jurisdiction of the market. Farmers were selling fish, vegetables and milk, produced by them at fair prices to wholesalers before the pandemic.
There are 12 fish warehouses, eight vegetable warehouses and milk chillers with capacity from two to five thousand liters.
In addition to the fish aqua processing zone there is a horticulture processing room the temperature of which is minus 10 degree Celsius. There are two 1,200-feet deep tube-wells and an 80-feet high broadband internet tower. Bank Asia (Agent Banking) has a booth here for the convenience of traders. There are security guards for the security of this walled market.
Despite having so many facilities, this luxurious market has collapsed in just one year. Already all the fish warehouses have been closed. As a result, marginal fish farmers are not able to sell fish in this market due to lack of wholesalers. The wholesalers have also mentioned their difficult situation in this regard.
Antu Mallik, owner of M/S Rakhi Fish, said it became impossible to continue business in the market due to the prevalence of corona, with house rent, high commission on dividends and other conditions imposed by the authorities. As a result, he was forced to close the warehouse. Bismillah Fish, Bhai Bhai Fish, Zaman Fish and some other storekeepers closed down their businesses due to the same reasons.
Nehalpur UP Chairman Nazmush Sadat said that there are about five and a half thousand fish farms in Bhabdaha area. The chairman claimed that the wholesalers have lost interest in the business due to various conditions imposed by the authorities. As a result, ordinary farmers in the area are struggling. Mizanur Rahman, a farmer from Balidha village, said he had been selling gher fish in the market for a short time at a low cost. Due to the absence of wholesalers he is unable to sell fish here. As a result, now he has to sell in far-flung markets.
On the other hand, Farmers Village Market Officer and Jagrani Chakra programmer Abul Fazal and Finance and Admin Officer Mehedi Hasan said that the wholesalers have lost interest mainly due to the bad conditions of local roads and the presence of digital weighing machines. Vegetables are not traded there as only a small amount of vegetable is cultivated in Bhavdaha area but, farmers sell one thousand liters of milk there every day, they added.
Another programme officer Shahidul Islam said, the fish warehouses have been closed for several months due to corona. Various initiatives will be taken soon to reopen the fish market.