Despite ample stock and warnings from the government, dealers and retailers have hiked the prices of three types of non-urea fertilisers citing a supply crunch.
In some districts, including Jhenaidah, Rangpur and Kurigram, farmers complained that they failed to collect fertilisers even at higher prices due to the acute crisis.
The government fixed the price of triple superphosphate or TSP fertiliser at Tk 1,100 per sack, but it is being sold at Tk 1,400 to Tk 1,600. The price of muriate of potash or MOP fertiliser has increased by Tk 200 per sack to Tk 950, whereas a sack
diammonium phosphate or DAP fertiliser is costing farmers Tk 950 to Tk 1,000, instead of government-fixed Tk 800.
Farmers and traders said the supply crunch amid high demand at this time of the year caused the prices to soar, reports bdnews24.com.
Last week, Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque dismissed claims of a fertiliser crisis in Bangladesh and held dishonest traders responsible for the farmers’ struggle, vowing legal steps against market manipulation.
In Bangladesh, urea fertiliser makes up half of the chemicals used for farming annually. Non-urea fertilisers, like TSP, DAP and MOP, are widely used to prepare fields for cultivation in the dry seasons.
Urea is more effective during the growth of the crops. The cost of urea fertiliser has remained unchanged at Tk 800 a sack as per government directives.
Supply Crunch
Forced to buy TSP at Tk 1,400, farmer Mahiqul Islam of Rangpur said some stores do not have sufficient fertilisers. “They offer 10 sacks when I ask for 15.”
Dealer Jasim Uddin said the prices of non-urea fertilisers have increased because there are not enough fertilisers in the market to meet the demand for potato fields.
Touhidul Iqbal, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Rangpur, said the region has recovered from the MOP crisis. “As many as 5,000 sacks of extra fertilisers have been allocated.”
Farmers of Naogaon lamented that the price of MOP increased to Tk 950 and DAP to around Tk 1,000 over the past 15 days.
Dealer Abdus Sattar said he raised the prices because the government allocation was insufficient and he had to collect fertilisers from other sources.
Shamsul Wadud, deputy director of DAE in Naogaon, dismissed the fertiliser crisis. He claimed some dishonest businessmen manipulated the market and the authorities would take action against them if the farmers filed complaints.
Ahead of the potato cultivation season, the demand for MOP and DAP fertilisers has soared.
Farmers said they are paying Tk 4 extra per kg to buy MOP and Tk 6 to buy DAP.
The insufficient stocks of dealers and retailers are frustrating the farmers further.
Farmer Babul Mia of Kurigram said he and his brother are cultivating potatoes on a nine-acre field, but they did not get fertilisers on time. They bought MOP at Tk 950 and TSP at Tk 1,500 some days ago, but the dealer refused to give them a money receipt.
Md Manjurul Haque, deputy director of DAE in Kurigram, refuted the allegations of price hikes and supply crises.
He advised the farmers to collect fertilisers from nearby areas if the potato season creates a “temporary” crisis.
Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rezaul Karim said the authorities are regularly monitoring the market and he instructed officials to take legal action against traders who are charging extra for fertilisers.
According to the DAE, 2,295 tonnes of MOP was allocated for Kurigram in November. It also allocated 1,483 tonnes of TSP and 3,436 tonnes of DAP.
In December, the department allocated 2,949 tonnes of MOP, 2,138 tonnes of TSP and 5,048 tonnes of DAP.
Stock And Warnings
Agriculture Minister Razzaque said at a press conference after a meeting last Tuesday that Bangladesh has enough fertilisers in its stock for the upcoming Boro season.
Some people were spreading “rumours” about a crisis to raise prices and they will face legal action through mobile courts, he said.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun was also present and he said the country has ample stock of fertilisers.
The stock was 832,000 tonnes against a demand of over 300,000 tonnes, according to Razzaque.
The prices of fertiliser increased in the international market too, he said. The fertiliser costing $300 per tonne is now priced at $964, according to him. “An international syndicate is sucking the blood of countries like ours. Meanwhile, dishonest traders are trying to increase the prices by spreading rumours.”
Kamrul Ashraf Khan, chairman of Bangladesh Fertiliser Association, said there had been problems in transporting fertiliser, but they are over now. If a dealer charges extra, their dealership will be cancelled, he said.
