SADULLAPUR, GAIBANDHA, Feb 6: Plantation of Boro sapling is taking place in full swing in Sadullapur Upazila of the district. With this, trading haats of Boro saplings have gained momentum in the upazila. But brokers are manipulating the sapling haat prices.
According to sapling haat sources, many farmers are selling saplings at haats. Others are going to haats for purchasing saplings. But purchasers are being trapped by so-called brokers.
A visit found such picture of sapling trading at Sadullapur Haat, Mirpur Haat, and Naldanga Haat.
In the name of processing, buy and sale of saplings, brokers are pocketing money from farmers. Both buyers and sellers are facing uttered disarray because of that brokering syndicate.
While talking with this Correspondent of The Daily Observer, farmers complained, brokers in intimidating manner are compelling them to give them the charge of making their trading.
According to local sources, a several number of Boro seedbeds got damaged due to severe cold and dense fog of Magh (Bangla month) in the upazila. It has caused sapling crisis at Sadullapur.
At present farmers have to purchase saplings at higher prices. In this case, contract farmers are facing the disarray mostly. They couldn't prepare seedbeds. So haats are their only option of getting saplings. In purchasing saplings at higher prices, these landless farmers are hiccupping.
Already they are counting extra cost of farming due to increased prices of electricity, diesel, and fertiliser-insecticide.
Farmers are taking bags of saplings by rickshaw and bicycle to haats. It was seen during the visit.
Sapling selling farmer Mokhlesur Rahman said, "I prepared seedbed for my own lands. After meeting the own demand, I have sold saplings."
"To sell these saplings, I had to give money to brokers," he added.
He further said, "Besides, I had to give Tk 20 per Pan (80 pieces) to the leasee of the haat."
Sapling purchaser Nehaz Uddin said, this year, he will plant saplings on one acre of land; the cold has damaged his seedbed by 50 per cent; due to sapling crisis, he has purchased one Pan saplings of hybrid species at the rate of Tk 450 while the local species at Tk 300; he has purchased a total of four Pan of both saplings. He also gave money to both the haat leasee and the broker.
Contract farmer Jalil Uddin said, "As I have no land, I have taken contract of 1.5 bighas. I have purchased saplings of Tk 900. Due to higher farming cost, I have fallen into tension. Also I had to pay extra money to get rid of broker's trapping."
Representative of Sadullapur Haat Leasee Tajul Islam Taju said, recently saplings are selling in abundance at the haat; A Khazna (tax) of Tk 20 is being realised per Pan from buyer and seller.
Sadullapur Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer said, this Boro season, a total of 15,650 hectares of land has been targeted in the upazila; so far, 85 per cent have been achieved; already farmers have been provided with incentives.
If the weather goes fair, farmers will be benefitted, the agriculture official maintained.
