Aman cultivation is in full swing across Habiganj, with farmers diligently applying fertilizers and tending their paddy fields in hopes of a good harvest. However, many farmers have complained of a fertilizer shortage, alleging that local dealers are exploiting the situation by charging inflated prices. In addition, the cost of pesticides has also risen sharply, leaving farmers struggling to manage expenses.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Habiganj, Aman paddy has been cultivated on 90,365 hectares of land in the district. To achieve optimal yields, farmers require sufficient supplies of urea, TSP, DAP, and MOP fertilizers. The government has fixed the retail price for a 50-kg bag of fertilizer at Tk 1,350 for urea, Tk 1,350 for TSP, Tk 1,000 for MOP, Tk 1,050 for DAP, and Tk 1,000 for potassium.
Farmers allege that dealers are selling fertilizers at significantly higher prices, citing supply shortages. In the local markets, a 50-kg bag of urea is reportedly being sold for Tk 1,600, TSP for Tk 1,800, and potassium for Tk 1,300. Many dealers also refuse to issue sales receipts, forcing farmers to purchase fertilizers at inflated rates. Concerned about missing the optimal fertilization window and risking lower yields, many farmers have no choice but to pay extra. Others, however, are using less fertilizer than required, which could hurt overall production.
Shah Alam, a farmer from Sultanashi village in Habiganj Sadar upazila, said, “The price of fertilizer has gone up a lot compared to last year. I had to buy urea at Tk 1,600 per bag to apply in my field.” Another farmer, Bachchu Mia from Sharifpur, said, “The official price of TSP is Tk 1,350, but I had to pay Tk 1,800 in the retail market because the dealers said they had no stock.”
Santu Mia, a farmer from Shibpasha in Ajmiriganj upazila, said, “Dealers often don’t sell fertilizers even when they have stock. We’re forced to buy from the open market at higher prices. Even when we buy from dealers at inflated rates, they refuse to give us receipts. Still, we have to buy for the sake of good yields.”
Habiganj DAE Deputy Director Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman said the district has already exceeded its Aman cultivation target. “We had set a target of 90,200 hectares, but cultivation has reached 90,365 hectares,” he said. “The government has fixed specific retail prices for all fertilizers, and monitoring teams are actively working in the markets to prevent overpricing.”
