Farmers in Pirojpur’s Nazirpur Upazila have alleged widespread irregularities in the government’s Boro paddy procurement programme, claiming that genuine cultivators are being deprived of the opportunity to sell their produce at the official price.
The allegations centre on the Sreeramkathi Local Supply Depot (LSD), where farmers claim paddy is being purchased from local traders and politically influential individuals instead of directly from growers. As a result, many cultivators say they are being forced to sell their harvest to wholesalers at lower market rates.
According to farmers, officials at the food warehouse reject their paddy on various grounds, including moisture content and grain quality, while allegedly accepting lower-quality paddy supplied by influential groups.
The issue recently sparked protests by farmers at the Nazirpur Upazila Parishad premises after several growers reportedly failed to secure access to the government procurement scheme.
During a visit to the warehouse area, large quantities of paddy were seen stacked outside the facility. Farmers alleged that the stockpiling was preventing other growers from delivering their produce and that some traders were using agricultural cards belonging to farmers to supply paddy under the government programme.
Paritosh Halder, a farmer from Sreeramkathi, said he cultivated paddy on six bighas of land and achieved a good yield this season.
“Production costs now range between Tk20,000 and Tk22,000 per bigha. Yet we receive only around Tk750 to Tk800 per maund in the open market. When we take paddy to the government warehouse, officials refuse it citing moisture, broken grains and other reasons. However, paddy supplied by influential people is accepted,” he alleged.
Shariful Bepari, a farmer from Dirgha Union, said he took 25 maunds of paddy to the warehouse but was asked to wait due to a long queue.
“Thousands of sacks belonging to influential people are stacked outside the warehouse. We are shown long serial numbers and sent back. Unable to sell at the government price, we are forced to sell elsewhere at lower rates,” he said.
He further alleged that middlemen, in collusion with some officials, were purchasing paddy from farmers and supplying it to the warehouse, sometimes using farmers’ agricultural cards.
The allegations were denied by Mahima Akter, officer-in-charge of the Sreeramkathi LSD.
“We are procuring paddy from farmers strictly in accordance with government regulations. No farmer is turned away if they bring paddy to the warehouse,” she said.
She acknowledged that there was currently a shortage of sacks, which had created some operational difficulties.
“What happens outside the warehouse, or who buys and sells paddy there, is not within my responsibility. We accept paddy from anyone who arrives with the required agricultural card. It is not our duty to verify whose paddy is being delivered,” she added.
Under the current procurement drive, the government is purchasing paddy in Nazirpur at Tk1,440 per maund. The government has set a target of procuring 1,306 tonnes of Boro paddy from the upazila during the current season.
