Fertilize dealers in Jibannagar have been keeping the farmers in the upazila hostage by selling fertilizers at higher prices. By creating false shortage, farmers in the area have no other options but to buy fertilizers at higher prices. Jibannagar Department of Agriculture has not taken any initiative yet regarding the issue.
Local farmers in Jibannagar said that BADC and BCIC dealers have increased the price of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertilizers. They are increasing prices from tk 150 to tk 500 per bag.
Though government has fixed the price of TSP fertilizer packet as tk 1100, dealers in the area are taking much more than that for per sack of TSP, farmers complained.
After investigating, correspondent found out that Jibannagar Department of Agriculture lately has not paying much attention to the price hike of fertilizers in the area. Though dealers have to give cash memo while selling fertilizers, no farmers in the area are getting fertilizers with cash memo as dealers are refusing farmers to sell fertilizers with cash memo.
On the other hand, officials of agriculture department are waiting to receive formal complaints from farmers. Officials said that due to lack of evidence, they could not take any actions yet.
Farmers in the area stated that if they want to buy fertilizers at price fixed by government, dealers are refusing to sell any fertilizers while giving excuse of fertilizers being stocked out. Dealers are implying that they have to buy fertilizers at increased price.
After taking to several farmers, correspondent found out that farmers in the area are concerned about yield this year as many of them could not get fertilizers at proper amount.
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) administrate the distribution of fertilizers among the farmers across the country by appointing multiple dealers in each upazila of every district. But the dealers in Jibannagar upazila has created a false shortage and selling fertilizers at higher prices, locals complained.
Farmer Razzaque Ali of Raipur union in Jibannagar upazila said that he had to buy TSP fertilizer at tk 34 per kilo from the dealers where the government price rate of TSP fertilizer is tk 24 per kilo.
Jibannagar Agriculture Officer Sharmin Akter said that if any complaint of selling fertilizer at higher price is received, officials will take immediate action regarding the matter. All BCIC and BADC dealers in the upazila have already been warned. Jibannagar UNO SM Munim Linkon said that upazila administration is planning to monitor the fertilizer market. Several mobile courts will conduct drives to stabilize the price, he added.
