Fertiliser stacked in the open as godown space too scanty
Rain, dew cause damage to the agri input
Huge quantity of fertiliser is kept under the open sky on the premises of BCIC buffer stock at Shibganj village in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila as the 7,500 tonne-capacity warehouse now has to maintain 25,000 tonnes of urea and potash during the ongoing IRRI-Boro season. Photo: STAR
Huge urea and potash fertilisers have been kept under the open sky at the buffer stock of Banbladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) at Shibganj village and BADC godown at Madarganj village in Thakurgoan Sadar upazila due to shortage of space in the warehouses. Exposed to melting by rain and dew, the fertiliser often decreases in amount, making farmers unwilling to receive it, dealers said. "Now 25,000 tonnes of fertiliser is reserved at Shibganj Buffer Stock although its godown has the capacity to keep only 7,500-tonne. Shortage of space in the godown forces us to pile up huge fertiliser sacks under the open sky," said Asaduzzaman Khan, in charge of the godown. There is demand of at least 40,000 tonnes of fertiliser for three months from January to March for cultivation of IRRI-Boro and rabi crops in Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts, he said. Admitting to damage of fertiliser due to melting by rainwater, Asaduzzaman said we have informed the higher authorities of the necessity to build new godowns. During a visit on Thursday afternoon, this correspondent saw about 30 fertiliser-laden trucks stranded outside the godown as the unloading activities was being delayed due to space crisis. Truck driver Md Samsul Haque and Azam Ali said they were staying in front of the buffer stock for 24 hours as fertiliser unloading was being delayed due to space shortage there. Similar scene was also seen at two godowns of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) at Madarganj village in the same upzila. "The two godowns can keep 1,800 tonnes of fertiliser while the current stock is 4,300 tonnes. Sacks of fertiliser have been kept under the open sky since December due to the space shortage," BADC godown in charge Md Nurul Amin said. As the tin-sheds of the godowns have become older, the fertiliser sacks get wet and damaged when it rains, he added. Modasser Hossain, a fertiliser dealer in the district, said sub-dealers often decline to receive dampened fertiliser sacks as the farmers do not want to take such fertiliser. "We have to count losses as farmers do not want to take dampened sacks of fertiliser that decreases in amount due to melting by rain and dew. They also think the damp fertiliser loses its effectiveness," said Mahbubur Rahman, sub-dealer of Bokosher Hat in Akcha union under Thakurgoan Sadar upazila. When contacted, Belayet Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension in Thakurgaon, told this correspondent over cell phone, "It is true that urea fertiliser decreases in amount when it melts in rain. But it does not lose its quality."
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