The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Lack of patronization, failure in timely sanction of agriculture loan and incensement of production cost caused failure in achieving the target of 26 varieties of seasonal crops like onion, wheat, maize, sugar cane, pulses, mustard, garlic, tarmaric, zinger, barley, in 11 districts under Barisal agriculture region this year.

Regional office of Barisal agriculture extension department sources said that this region consisted with Barisal, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barguna,Jhalakati, Pirojpur districts of Barisal division, Rajbari,Madaripur,Gopalganj,Shariatpur and Faridpur districts of Dhaka division.

Forty-two varieties of crops are usually cultivated in winter season as seasonal crops (Rabi Shasaya) in this region and Boro paddy is the main of those.

This year Boro paddy achieved target of production and rest 41 varieties were cultivated on 6, 42,060 hectors of land instead of targeted 6, 84,743 hectors of lands.

Barisal regional AED sources said among the main seasonal crops sugar cane cultivated on 17,562 hectors of lands instead of targeted 19,131 hectors, mustards cultivated on 38,812 hectors instead of targeted 43,805 hectors, wheat cultivated on 63,255 hectors instead of targeted 64,475 hectors, turmeric cultivated on only 152 hectors instead of targeted 2,555 hectors, Kheshari pulses cultivated on 86,934 hectors instead of targeted 1,53,623 hectors, Arhar pulses cultivated on only 19 hectors instead of targeted 231 hectors, zinger cultivated on only 19 hectors instead of targeted 126 hectors, sunflower cultivated on only 37 hectors instead of targeted 199 hectors of lands.

Abubakar Siddik, a seasonal crop farmer of Pattanivanga of Muladi upazila of Barisal district, alleged that it takes long time to get agriculture loans.

Abdul Malek Sardar of Nazirpur under Pirojpur district, said that in fear of complexities in granting bank loans, he collected money from the local moneylenders at the rate 10% interest per month for cultivation of seasonal crops.

Makbul Ahmed, a landless seasonal crop farmer of Shariatpur, said that he borrowed lands from the owners and took loans from private moneylenders in high rate of monthly interest and incensement of production cons makes it very difficult to get profit.

Molla Safiur Rahman, additional director of Barisal AED, said that they found deep interest of farmers to cultivate seasonal crops in this region. Therefore, we requested bank officials to grant agriculture loans on easy terms and conditions and low rate of interest.

Md. Emdadul Huq, deputy general manager of Kririshi Bank Barisal regional office, said that terms and conditions for agriculture loans were fixed by the policy makers of the government and bank had to verify documents for sanctioning loans, which takes time. Many farmers also loan defaulters and so hesitated to come to bank for fresh loans.