Farmers in distress as diesel price hike drives up costs

The recent diesel price hike has made service providers increase charges for harvesting the largest rice crop, Boro, as well as for irrigating farmlands, and threshing maize -- leaving farmers struggling to cope.

Costs soared because of a 15 percent hike in the price of diesel, a key fuel used by nearly 15 lakh shallow tube well pumps to water the Boro fields.

Farmers in four haor districts of Sylhet also depend on nearly 1,500 combine harvesters -- run on diesel -- for bringing their crops home.

The government increased fuel prices on April 19 to cut subsidy payment pressure on the state coffers in the wake of increased import costs.

It coincides with a time when farmers have started harvesting Boro paddy, particularly in the Sylhet region, where a majority of the paddy fields require irrigation.

“Now machines are needed for harvesting and threshing paddy and shelling maize -- everything. With diesel price rising, all costs have gone up,” said Mozammel Haque, a farmer in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat.

The 65-year-old farmer cultivated Boro paddy on 12 bighas and maize on 10 bighas this season. He harvested a portion of the ripened paddy using a diesel-powered harvester machine on Monday.

This year, he has to pay Tk 850 to Tk 900 to harvest the crop per bigha, up from Tk 750 to Tk 800 per bigha in the previous year.

“I am worried whether I would be able to recover my costs after selling the crops.”

In Sylhet, where Boro paddy is harvested early, thousands of farmers rely on combine harvesters for faster harvesting. But the cost of renting a combine harvester has doubled in some areas in the Haor.

The rate of harvesting paddy on one acre of farmland has jumped to Tk 7,500 this season, up from Tk 4,500 to Tk 5,000 in the previous Boro season.

Selim Raza Chowdhury, a farmer from Razapur Union in Sunamganj’s Dharmapasha upazila, said he offered up to Tk 12,000 to harvest one acre of his Boro paddy, and still could not manage to rent a combine harvester.

“With excessive rates and lower paddy prices in the market, it is becoming impossible for us to cover the harvesting and processing expenses,” he said.

Shahibur Rahman, a 55-year-old farmer in Rangpur sadar upazila, said the rent of harvesters and maize threshers increased within a single day of the diesel price hike.

While it costs an additional Tk 250 to Tk 300 per bigha to harvest paddy, for maize the hike is higher -- Tk 400 to Tk 450.

Sirajul Islam, a harvester operator in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat, said about two litres of diesel are required to harvest paddy on one bigha of land.

“Even after standing in line at the pump, fuel is not available. Diesel price has also increased. We were compelled to raise the machine rent,” he said.

“In a few more days, when the full season of rice and maize harvesting begins, pressure will increase further.”

Maize thresher operator Rafiqul Islam from Kurigram, another northern district, has started charging Tk 200 to Tk 300 more than last year.

More than four litres of fuel are needed to thresh maize grown on one bigha of land, he said.

“Diesel price has gone up. There are labour costs too. This is also resulting in arguments with farmers.”

Farmer Ranju Mia of Kharjani Char in Gaibandha sadar upazila cultivated maize on 12 bighas of land, investing Tk 250,000.

Due to fertiliser and fuel shortages, the yield has been poor this year. Again, because of the sudden rise in fuel prices, threshing and transportation costs have increased, he said, fearing losses.

“There is no electricity in the char area, and the soil does not retain water. Frequent irrigation is needed. The amount of paddy we will get will not even cover the expenses,” said Ruhul Amin, another grower from Rasulpur Char in the Fulchhari upazila.