The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rafiqul Islam Azad

Abnormal price hike of fertiliser threatens to badly affect the crop production in the country posing a serious threat to food security, it is learnt.

According to information available, prices of Tri Super Phosphate (TSP) and Muriate of Potash (MP) increased by about 50 percent yesterday in the local markets. The farmers would either bear the burden or avoid using these fertilisers for lack of the ability to pay.

The farmers for different districts are reported to have expressed their strong resentment at the price hike of fertiliser.

Our correspondents report that farmers gheraoed local agriculture offices of the government and dealers' shops in the localities demanding regular supply of fertiliser. Government officials and sources in the Bangladesh Fertiliser Association admitted the price hike of fertiliser was due to rise of price at the international market.

"The prices of TSP and MP have gone up due to price hike at the international market," said a member of Price Fixation Committee formed by the Government.

He said the fertiliser sold till yesterday had been imported last year at US$ 270 per ton and the committee had fixed the rate of the fertiliser evaluating the current price and other overhead expenditure.

"This time a new lot of fertiliser has been imported at US$ 308 per ton that led to the increase in prices in the local markets, the official said.

He made it clear that there is no scope to increase the price of fertiliser by anyone as the price fixation committee, headed by a deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank is scheduled to fix the price on the basis of price shown in the Letter of Credit (LC) and other expenses.

On shortage of supply he said necessary allocation of fertiliser for 42 districts has already been made but it may take some four to five days time to reach sufficient amount of fertiliser to the dealers, as fertiliser was being off-loaded from ships.

Mosharraf Hossain, Director (Import) of Bangladesh Fertiliser Association told The New Nation that the farmers get fertiliser at a reduced rate as the government had given 25 per cent subsidy earlier.

But now, the government reduced the percentage of subsidy to 15 per cent due to price hike of fertiliser in the international market, he said.

He cautioned that the price of fertiliser would increase in phases, as the next lot of fertiliser would be imported at higher prices.

Our Gazaria Correspondent said some four to five hundred farmers of Bausia Union Parishad yesterday gathered in front of local dealer Lavi Enterprise demanding supply of TSP and MP fertiliser and protested the increase in the price.

They alleged the Lavi Enterprise sold MP fertiliser at Tk 786 per bag yesterday but the dealer also demanded Tk 1100 for the same bag. The supply of TSP and MP was also limited.

Gazaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Latif and Agriculture Officer Zafar Ullah visited the area and talked to the farmers assuring them sufficient supply of fertiliser.

Local administration deployed police in the area to deal with the situation.

Earlier on Thursday, the farmers went to Upazila headquarters and gheraoed the office of agriculture officer demanding sufficient supply of fertiliser.

Local people said the farmers of the Bhaberchar, Tegarchar and Imampur unions in the same upazila are also facing fertiliser crisis.

Meanwhile, Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative Anwarul Iqbal at a meeting at his ministry yesterday directed the fields level officials to monitor whether there was any irregularity in supply of fertiliser and to ensure that poor farmers get those at the subsidised rates.