Ishwardi's bean farmers face losses despite high prices

Although a kilogram of beans costs Tk 40 in the wholesale market, a kilogram of these beans is worth Tk 60 in the retail market. Even at this time of the season, the common people are distraught at the skyrocketing price of beans. On the other hand, Ishwardi's bean farmers are gasping for breath at the thought of losses even at this high price.

According to the Ishwardi Upazila Agricultural Extension Department, the total target area for bean cultivation in Ishwardi this season is 1290 hectares. Out of which, early bean cultivation has already been completed on 910 hectares of land in this area. It is known that winter bean cultivation will be done on the remaining 380 hectares of land. According to that calculation, the farmers of this region have been able to earn a profit of about Tk 30 lakh by cultivating early variety beans this year, the office said.

Meanwhile, visiting the main bean areas of the upazila, Baghhasla, Patirajpur, Arankola, Muladuli, Ramnathpur, Marmi, Sultanpur, Sheikhpara, etc., farmers and farmers are working in bean fields without beans and bean flowers. Talking to them, it was learned that they have to work in the bean fields and in the fields regularly in the morning and evening. They have to remove the vines of the bean plants, clean the dried flowers and spray the bean plants with fungicides, vitamins and rot prevention in the morning and evening. However, the farmers also said that they will have to face losses as the yield is less than the cost compared to other years.

Saidul Islam, a bean farmer from Dhulti area, said that we farmers have been the most affected due to the sale of substandard pesticides by local pesticide traders. Because the pesticide dealers of the unscrupulous companies can make more money by selling them, they sell more pesticides of these companies. This causes financial losses to the farmers. Because these low-quality pesticides do not benefit the farmers' crops.

Md. Saiful Islam, a bean farmer from Rezwan Nagar area, said that bean cultivation requires the most labor compared to other vegetables. Along with this, a large amount of pesticides has to be applied. Due to this, although the yield of beans is low at the beginning of the season, the price is comparatively high. Since the price is high, the cost is covered even with low production. But this time, even in the peak season, with the price falling, the farmers are worried about the loss if the production does not increase.

Imran Hossain, a bean farmer from Ramnathpur area, said that some pesticide traders sell in the market, which we have faced further losses by using on our crops. Because by using these pesticides, the flowers and pods of our plants are falling in a storm. The plants have become weak. Due to this, there is a hundred percent chance that our crop yield will decrease. We will be affected.

Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdul Momin said, currently there are 7 to 8 hundred registered legal pesticide companies in the country's market. Out of which, we regularly send their products to the lab every month to check the quality of their products. Even among these, the companies produce substandard products. Due to this, our farmers suffer financially.

However, he instructed the farmers to find good companies and use those products. He also said, this year, early bean producers have earned a profit of about 40 to 50 thousand taka per bigha. This year, beans are likely to be cultivated on a total of 1290 hectares of land in this region. Of which, farmers have already cultivated early bean varieties on about 910 hectares of land. However, to avoid damage, farmers will have to spray quality pesticides regularly to get a good bean yield, the official said.