About 99% of farmers did not get the government mandated price for their paddy in the last Boro season, according to the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD). BIGD disclosed the finding in a webinar on Monday, after completion of the first phase of a study titled “Effects of Covid-19 on Boro rice farmers: Results from a rapid survey.” The government fixed Tk1,040 per maund of paddy as the price for government procurement this year. Only 1% of farmers who participated in the study got access to the government procurement program. Farmers earned an average of Tk765 per maund, selling their paddy in local markets, as opposed to Tk654 in fiscal year 2018-19. They made 40% less profit than expected, and the yield was 7% lower than expected due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Each acre of land produced 4 maunds less paddy than in previous years, which amounts to a decrease of 4.8 crore maund in total production, worth about Tk3,687 crore. The production cost increased by 13%, while labour wages rose by 17%.
About 99% of farmers did not get the government mandated price for their paddy in the last Boro season, according to the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD). BIGD disclosed the finding in a webinar on Monday, after completion of the first phase of a study titled “Effects of Covid-19 on Boro rice farmers: Results from a rapid survey.” The government fixed Tk1,040 per maund of paddy as the price for government procurement this year. Only 1% of farmers who participated in the study got access to the government procurement program. Farmers earned an average of Tk765 per maund, selling their paddy in local markets, as opposed to Tk654 in fiscal year 2018-19. They made 40% less profit than expected, and the yield was 7% lower than expected due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Each acre of land produced 4 maunds less paddy than in previous years, which amounts to a decrease of 4.8 crore maund in total production, worth about Tk3,687 crore. The production cost increased by 13%, while labour wages rose by 17%.
