Kishoreganj: The government’s Boro season paddy and rice procurement drive officially commenced in the district today with authorities setting a collection target of 18,330 metric tons of paddy for the current season.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the procurement will cover all 13 upazilas of the district and continue until August 31. Farmers will be able to sell their produce directly to the government within this period.
The procurement price has been fixed at Taka 36 per kilogram, equivalent to Taka 1,440 per maund. However, officials stated that wet or substandard paddy will not be accepted under any circumstances. Each farmer will be allowed to sell up to 75 maunds. To ensure transparency and reduce irregularities, all payments will be processed through the banking system, eliminating cash transactions. Eligible sellers include both farmers holding official farmer cards and those registered with the agriculture office.
Despite the launch of the procurement drive, farmers in the haor areas are facing significant challenges. The Department of Agricultural Extension reported that around 9,045 hectares of Boro paddy fields have been submerged due to continuous heavy rainfall and upstream water flow in recent days. Local farmer Alal Mia from Ashtagram expressed frustration, saying that much of the season’s expected yield has been lost to flooding. He added that harvesting has become difficult due to waterlogged fields, while labor shortages have driven up costs without ensuring availability.
Another farmer, Jalal Uddin, highlighted post-harvest difficulties, saying that persistent cloud cover and lack of sunlight are preventing proper drying of harvested paddy. This has made it difficult to meet government quality standards. He also mentioned falling market prices, leaving farmers under financial strain. Kishoreganj Assistant Food Controller Md Mosharraf Hossain reiterated the government’s commitment to meeting the procurement target, confirming that purchases have begun at the fixed rate. He emphasized again that only dry and quality paddy will be accepted during the drive.