Supply of Boro paddy has decreased in Dinajpur markets immediately after the end of Boro season even though the yield was good this year. So, the price of paddy in Dinajpur paddy markets has increased.
The price of Boro paddy BRRI-75 has increased to Tk 150 to Tk 200 per sack of 75 Kg in one-week time in Dinajpur. Small traders and farmers said the farmers don’t have much paddy left in their house as the season has come to an end. The big traders have bought the paddy and stocked them. They will control the paddy market now.
It was learnt that Gopalganj Hat in the Sadar Upazila in one of the biggest paddy markets in Dinajpur. Paddy is bought and sold on Monday and Friday of the week in this market. Three thousands to five thousands sacks of paddy are traded in one day in this market during the full season.
When the correspondent visited the market on Monday, he learnt that the supply of paddy has decreased in the market. The market leaseholder Monir told the correspondent that 500 to 600 sacks of paddy arrived in the market on Friday. He said supply of paddy is gradually decreasing as the season has come to an end.
Meanwhile, the price has started to hike due to the decrease of paddy supply in the market.
It was learnt that BRRI 75 variety of Hybrid paddy is being sold at Tk 2,150 to 2,200 per sack of 75 Kg, BR 28 variety of paddy is being sold at Tk 2,500 to Tk 2,550 per sack and Shompa Katari variety of paddy is being sold at 2,650 taka per sack in Gopalganj Hat on Monday whereas Hybrid paddy was being sold at Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,050 per sack, BR 28 variety was being sold at Tk 2,300 to Tk 2,400 per sack and Shompa Katari variety was being sold at Tk 2,550 per sack one week ago. It means that depending on the variety, the price of paddy has increased by Tk 150 to Tk 200 per sack in one week.
Paddy buyer Omresh Boashak said the farmers don’t have much paddy left in their houses. The supply of paddy in the market has lessened due to that. Seeking anonymity, a trader said that they are small traders and their capital is low as well. They buy paddy from the market and make rice from it. When they get money from selling the rice, they buy paddy again. They have to sell the rice with little profit according to the price in the market. However, the big traders bought and stocked a large amount of paddy at relatively low price during the full season. As the supply of paddy in the market has decreased, they will control the paddy market now.
Boro paddy was sold at Tk 1,900 to Tk 2,000 per sack this season during the harvesting and threshing period. Farmer Sohrab Hossain who came to sell paddy in the market said he cultivated Boro paddy by buying insecticides on loan. He paid the loan by selling the paddy during the harvesting and threshing season. He is selling the rest of the paddy to bear the cost of Aman farming. He said the price of paddy started to increase when the farmers don’t have any more crops in their houses.
When the correspondent visited the rice market, he learned that the price of rice in Dinajpur increased by three to four taka per Kg since ten to fifteen days ago. Miniket rice is being sold at Tk 65 to Tk 68 per kg, BR 26 rice is being sold at Tk 58 to Tk 60 per kg and Hybrid rice is being sold Tk 44 to Tk 45 per kg in retailer market at present.
The price of rice in Dinajpur increased by three to four taka per kg around 10 to 15 days ago and it is still being sold at the increased price. Deputy Director of Dinajpur Department of Agricultural Extension Md Nuruzzaman said Boro paddy was cultivated in 1,74,510 hectares of land in Dinajpur district this year which is 710 hectares more than the last year. The target was set to produce 8.5 lakh metric tonnes of Boro paddy in rice form this year. The yield of Boro paddy was good in Dinajpur this year as the weather was suitable, he added.
