The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our correspondent, Rajshahi

Many of the farmer in Rajshahi district are unable to buy fertilizers to prepare their farm lands for Boro cultivation as a result there fear that Boro cultivation in the district will be harmed during the current season.

Farmers in different upazilas of the district are apprehending that there might be lower Boro production in the district this season, where agriculture is mainstay of the district.

At present one bag of TSP fertiliser costs Taka 3,800, one bag of MOP fertilizer is Taka 4,600, one bag of Urea price is Taka 600, DFP fertilizer is Taka 4,550.

Moreover, the farmers are not getting the fertilizers even at high prices. Although the local mixture fertilizer factories are getting santion of TSP, MOP, Urea and DFP from the government, but the production cost of their NPKS is higher following the high price of raw materials provided by the government.

As a result, the mixed fertilizers produced by them are not being sold in markets. The owners of these local fertilizer factories, who have taken loans from banks are now in trouble to repay bank loans.

The owners of Rajshahi NPKS factories urged the government to make a policy to provide the raw materials cheaper.

District Agriculture Extension Department officials said a target of 80,500 hectares of farm land has been set to bring under Boro cultivation this season in the district. But in reality, most of the farmers could not yet cultivate Boro on their farm lands.