Low prices disappoint Gaibandha maize farmers despite bumper yield

A bumper yield of maize has failed to make the farmers of Phulchari upazila of Gaibandha happy due to low market prices this year.

Maize is one of the most cultivated crops in the shoal areas of the upazila by the Brahmaputra River. Due to favourable weather so far, the farmers got a bumper yield of maize this season. However, marginal farmers are disappointed over the low prices of the crop.

Due to the high transportation costs from the remote villages to the district centre, they are forced to sell their produce at a cheap price to local traders. Apart from this, farmers are unable to store maize as it is in a flood-affected area. The marginal farmers of the area often lose their homes to river erosion during monsoon due to flash floods.

The farmers are worried that with the threats of heavy rain looming over the horizon, the river may soon flood and cause river erosion. They are being forced to sell their crops at a low price as they are unable to store them.

According to local farmers, maize is sold in the district town at double the price compared to the remote areas of the upazila. The lack of a proper communication system has left them unable to transport their crops to be sold for a fair price.

Marginal farmers became interested in maize cultivation due to lower production costs than other crops and higher profit in the market. But they are now disheartened with the prices. Farmers are now worried about repaying the loans they took from NGOs to cover cultivation costs.

Farmers of Phulchari are currently busy harvesting, threshing and drying maize kernels. They expect to complete harvesting before monsoon rains begin.

Murshid Ali of Char Kabilarpur village of Uria union of the upazila cultivated maize on 15 bighas of shoal land this year. He got a yield of 30-35 maunds of maize per bigha.

“Sand pasture needs more irrigation. Maize does not yield if it is not well irrigated. Including fertilisers, irrigation costs and labourers I have spent over Tk 20,000 per bigha. But I cannot cover my production costs with the prices I am getting now,” he said.

Farmer Sultan Ali from Erendabari union said the yield has been good in the riverine shoal areas of the district this season.

“We are struggling to cover our production cost and make a profit considering the high prices of fertiliser, seeds and irrigation. Last year I sold maize for Tk 1,400 per maund and this year I am getting Tk 700-800 per maund,” he said.

Sultan further added, the traders give them various excuses for the low prices including high transportation costs. It costs about Tk 250 to transport per maund of corn from the remote areas.

Shahidul Islam, a maize trader in the district, said the current market price of maize is Tk 900-950 per maund.

“The price was Tk 1,200-1,300 a few weeks ago but it decreased due to low demand. The prices may increase again near the end of the season,” he said.

Gaibandha Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Deputy Director Md Khorshed Alam said maize has been cultivated on about 17,200 hectares of land in the district this year.

“The yield is also good this year due to favourable weather. Our department is providing all sorts of support to the farmers including agricultural incentives, exhibitions and training to expand cultivation further,” he said.