The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shamim Jahangir

Production of sugarcane has declined and area under its cultivation has shrunk during the last six years mainly due to increase in production cost, Bangladesh Sugar and Industries Corporation (BSFIC) sources said.

The country produced 83,80,263 tonnes of sugarcane from 79,105 hectares of land in the year 2002-03, but its production came down to 76,17,137 tonnes and the land of its cultivation to 74,088 hectares in 2007-8,sources added.

About 76,89,227 tonnes of sugarcane were produced from 74,083.56 hectares of land in the year 2006-07, 73,07,304 tonnes from 80,075 hectares in 2005-06, 70,68,972 tonnes from 70,078 hectares in 2004-05 and 76,00,244 tonnes from 79,105 hectares in 2003-04.

Production cost of sugarcane has increased to Tk 42,000 per acre this year against Tk 32,000 last year, sugarcane growers said.

" Additional expenditure for fertilisers has pushed up the production cost of sugarcane," they said.

"We have earned Tk 652 from one acre of land which is too meagre compared to our labour and investment," they noted.

"We could have increased the production of sugarcane by applying fertiliser and expanding cultivation area if the government gave us subsidy," they further said.

A total of five lakh farmers are involved in the cultivation sugarcane across country.

A senior official of BSFIC said they pay Tk 52 to growers for one maund of sugarcane.

He spoke in favour of raising its price to at least Tk 80 per maund of sugarcane considering the high prices of fertilisers and inputs.

He said that the 15 sugar mills have a total capacity to produce 2,10,400 tonnes against total demand of 12 lakh tonnes. But they cannot run to their full capacity because of shortage of sugarcane.

He expressed his apprehension that the production of sugarcane would decline further if the government failed to support the sector.