The farmers in Jhenaidah have been destroying the vegetable plots, especially amaranth ( Lal Shak) plots as there was no demand of this vegetable in the market. Many of the farmers have been using the amaranth as fodder for their cattle or distributing among the neighbors. Least demand of the amaranth in Ramadan had enforces them to destroy the plots, said a number of farmers.
A number of vegetable farmers at village Nityanandapur under Shailkupa upazila on Friday afternoon expressed their sorrow while being asked about their condition. Farmer Shahidul Islam and Rashidul Islam said they had grown red and green amaranth on their 48 decimals of land. They had harvested the same during the first week of Ramadan and sold for Taka one thousand.
But the demand was almost zero and they could not sale it anymore in the market. Even they were not in a position to recover the transportation cost. Finding no other alternative, they had destroyed a plot for 18 decimals and sown jute seeds for survival.
Shahidul Islam said as there was no demand, he is not harvesting the amaranth from his plot and they will dry up there. The locals have been collecting the same for the fodder or vegetable purposes. The affected farmer said he produces amaranth and other seasonal vegetables on his plot at a regular basis, while his fate was not on his side in this Ramadan.
Shailkupa Upazila agriculture officer Anisuzzaman Kha when contacted said the demand in amaranth might be least as the farmers produce huge quantity of the same targeting Ramadan, while the demand was least during the season. They (department of agriculture extension) had advised the farmers to produce the crop as per demand of the consumers or follow the advice of the DSAE field level officers to make their farming profitable, UAO said.