“The price of rice is so high, then why the price of rice is so low”

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Tota Majhi’s trawler, which left Kastul village of Ashtagram upazila of Kishoreganj with 105 maunds of paddy, anchored at Bhairab Mokam Ghat around 10:30 am on Saturday. All paddy is coarse (Hira-2) variety. Today this paddy was sold at the price of Tk 680. But a week ago, the same variety of paddy was sold at the rate of 720 to 725 taka per maund. A year ago at this time the rate was at least 100 taka higher per maund.

Farmers said that the price of Boro paddy has been decreasing every day since the start of harvest. Transportation costs are increasing again. If the price does not rise, the profit will be away, it will be difficult to increase the cost of production.

Bhairav ​​went to Mokam this morning and saw three paddy trawlers anchored at the ghat. One came from Ashtagram, two from Haor in Habiganj. Workers are busy unloading paddy from the trawler. Mokame wholesale is less. Nei Mokam’s familiar rice paddy scene. As there is no wholesaler, the wholesalers are taking the paddy directly to their homes.

The paddy that comes in Tota Majhi’s trawler belongs to Shabdar Mia and Usman Mia of Ashtagram. They are cousins. Both have reached Bhairav ​​Mokam in the same trawler. They are disappointed after knowing the price.

Shabdar Mia said, the yield is not bad. 70 to 80 maunds per acre. However, it is not possible to take home the profit at this price with the cost of seedlings, planting, dawal, threshing, transportation. Now the trawler cost is increasing again. Usman Gani’s question, ‘The price of rice is so high, then why is the price of rice so low?’

Artadars said, this time the paddy started arriving at Mokam a week before the start of Baisakh. Paddy has not yet started coming from Haor Upazila Itna, Ashtagram and Mithamin of Kishoreganj. Coming mainly from different parts of Habiganj. 95 percent of imports are from iri (coarse) paddy. Compared to this time last year, the price of paddy is Tk 100 less per maund. Also less import. Coarse iri has fluctuated between Tk 825 and Tk 840 per maund during this period of the last two years.

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It has been found that the traders buy paddy from Haor farmers. The trawler came to Mokam with paddy from various traders. In the beginning, the transport cost of each sack (80 kg) from Kakaicheo in Ajmiriganj of Habiganj has been fixed at Tk 39. Traders have suffered financial losses due to increase in transport costs. Mukhlesh Majhi from Kakaicheo said that the price of oil has increased. Because of this, there was no way without adding four rupees to the bag.

On April 18, Rubel Majhi brought 2,256 maunds of paddy from Kakaicheo in Ajmiriganj. All the rice was of iri (coarse) variety. Rubel Majhi said, “That day I sold at 725 taka per maund.” Today that paddy has decreased by 30 to 40 taka. Even though the price has not increased, the import has decreased due to the increase in the cost of transportation.

Businessmen said that since the pre-independence period, the trade of Haor area, especially Ashtagram in Kishoreganj, Etna, Mithamin, Khaliajuri in Netrokona, Dirai in Habiganj, Lakhai, Ajmiriganj, Sunamganj and some parts of Sylhet has been dependent on Bhairab. Economic links of these regions have been created with Bhairava through the river for ages. Trade with these regions decreased but did not end after road connectivity improved. Bhairab rich paddy mokam was established especially around Haor. With the passage of time, the charm of Bhairav ​​Mokam decreases slightly. Still, the paddy produced in some parts is marketed through Bhairav ​​Mokam. The buyer areas of rice from Mokam are traders and millers of Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Lalmonirhat, Chandpur, Munshiganj and Comilla districts.

Shamim Mia, manager of Mohsin Mia and Sons, a rice wholesaler in Bhairab Bazar, said, “This time the import of rice is very less. The price is also low. Again, other costs including transportation are high. All in all, I can’t understand what is happening.