60-year-old rice seedling market in Tangail "sells Tk 5-6 lakh per day"

In Elenga of Tangail's Kalihati upazila, the traditional rice paddy market has gathered. This hut at Shamsul Haque College intersection of the municipality is about 60 years old. It is sold from dawn till night. Hundreds of traders sell around 5-6 lakh rupees daily in this market. However, high prices of fertilizers and diesel have worried marginal farmers and owners of diesel-powered irrigation pumps.

Going to the surface, it can be seen that there has been failure of various types of rice seedlings in the market. Farmers are buying seedlings by bargaining. As the demand increased, the price increased by 2-5 rupees. Traders bought saplings from various places including Mymensingh, Netrakona, Naoga, Sirajganj, Bogra, Muktagachha, Kalihati, Ghatail and Sakhipur.

They are selling them to the farmers of the district according to their demand. It is also sold in other districts including nearby Manikganj. Here Bri 34, 49, 52, 71, 72, 74, 75, 87; BR 11, 22,23; Laws 7, 17, 20; Local varieties of rice like Nazirshail, Paijam, Binashail, Swarna, Kalijira, Ranjit, Gainja, Patjak etc. are available. Each handful of rice seedlings is being sold at 5 to 12 taka.

Dulal Hossain of Mashajan village in Elenga said, I have been in the business of rice seedlings for 30 years. We buy seedlings from hilly areas and sell them in Elenga market. If you sell 100 seedlings, you get 100/150 Tk. Farmers in low lying areas including the southern part of Tangail buy more seedlings from here. Mohr Ali said, the knee is old. Go without selling fodder.
Ichapur village of Kalihati. Khalil Shikder said, if I make saplings in my low land, it will be destroyed. So buy seedlings from this market. This time I bought 200 golden rice seedlings for 1675 taka.

Kalihati Upazila Agriculture Officer Farhana Mamun told Business Eye that the Elenga rice paddy market is very old and one of the district's. Some produce seedlings only for sale. Many people sell the extra seedlings here to meet their own needs. Farmers who cannot produce seedlings or whose seedlings are destroyed due to natural calamities, buy seedlings. The agriculture official also said that the expansion of this traditional bazaar will be taken to increase the scope of sales.

Deputy Director of Tangail District Agricultural Extension Directorate. Kabir Hossain told Business Eye that the target of paddy cultivation in the district has been set at about 1 lakh 190 hectares during the planting season this year. 95 thousand 180 hectares of land has been acquired so far. Rice seedlings of different varieties can be planted throughout this month. Especially the seedlings of BR 34,49,52, BR 22, 23, Binadhan 7,17 varieties are good.

He also said that there is government subsidy on electric irrigation pumps. Meanwhile, the price of diesel has also been reduced slightly. If more subsidy is given to diesel irrigation pump owners, then the price increase in agriculture sector will not be affected. Farmers can pay.

Several owners of diesel-powered irrigation pumps said that the new government has reduced the price of diesel a little. Currently diesel is 105 taka 50 paisa per liter. It also does not want to increase the price of rice. They demanded more subsidy from the government.