Farmers in Chuadanga are increasingly turning to an organic fertiliser produced by state-owned Carew & Company (Bangladesh) Limited as shortages and higher prices of chemical fertilisers push up cultivation costs.
A 50kg bag of Carew’s “Sonar Dana” organic fertiliser sells for Tk900 at the mill gate, with farmers saying its use alongside chemical fertilisers is helping reduce costs while maintaining good crop yields.
Farmers have struggled to obtain chemical fertilisers in sufficient quantities this season, while some say they are paying higher prices when supplies are available.
The Department of Agricultural Extension has advised growers to use organic fertiliser alongside chemical fertilisers to maintain soil productivity.
Carew produces Sonar Dana by processing press mud, a by-product of sugarcane crushing, using modern and scientific methods, according to company officials.
The company said the fertiliser helps improve the soil’s water-retention capacity and supports microbial activity.
It is sold at Tk23 a kilogramme and Tk900 for a 50kg bag at the mill gate.
The Company’s Managing Director Rabbik Hasan said the company currently has annual production capacity of 2,500 tonnes of organic fertiliser.
Production capacity has been increased by about 4,000 tonnes this year, while work is under way to add a further 5,000 tonnes next year, he said.
Ripon, a farmer from Akundabaria village, said a bag of chemical fertiliser was costing between Tk2,500 and Tk3,000, compared with Tk900 for a bag of Carew’s organic fertiliser.
“Two bags per bigha are enough to get a good yield,” he said.
Another farmer, Saidur Rahman, said using the organic fertiliser alongside chemical fertilisers had reduced his cultivation costs. He said yields of vegetables and other crops on his land had also been good.
Hasan said Carew’s organic fertiliser was environmentally friendly and that the company was expanding production to supply farmers with quality fertiliser at affordable prices.
“We hope Carew’s organic fertiliser will play an important role in reducing pressure on chemical fertilisers while helping maintain soil fertility and environmental balance,” he said.
Farmers said further increases in production and supply could help ease fertiliser shortages, lower cultivation costs and protect soil health.
Chuadanga Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension Nurul Islam said farmers were being encouraged to use organic fertilisers alongside chemical fertilisers to maintain the productive capacity of the soil.
“This will reduce pressure on chemical fertilisers while helping preserve soil quality in a sustainable way,” he said.
