Jamalpur chilli farmers struggle as wholesale prices plunge

Green chilli farmers in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur are facing losses as wholesale prices have dropped sharply despite a bumper yield this season.

Farmers are currently selling green chillies for only Tk15-17 per kg, or around Tk600-680 per maund, at local wholesale markets. They say the price is far below their production costs.

Farmers also complained of a wide gap between farm-gate and retail prices. Green chillies are being sold for Tk70-80 per kg in local retail markets and Tk90-100 per kg after being supplied to markets and warehouses in Dhaka, Sylhet and Chattogram.

Shipon, a farmer from Char Shuvogachha village, said the cultivation cost has risen to Tk45,000-50,000 per bigha due to higher prices of fertiliser, pesticides and irrigation.

“It will not be possible to recover the production cost at the current wholesale price. Farmers will have to incur huge losses this season,” he said.

Rasel Khan, another farmer from the village, said he initially received a good price but prices had fallen sharply during the peak harvest.

“On 6 November, chillies were sold at Gaber Gram Bazar, the largest chilli market in the upazila, for Tk15 per kg. Farmers cannot make a profit at this price,” he said.

Abdul Khalek, a farmer from Jorkhali Union, said he cultivated the high-yielding Mainamati variety on three bighas using the polythene mulching method.

He said production costs had increased for land preparation, irrigation, seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, transport and labour, while obtaining fertiliser had also become difficult.

According to the Madarganj Upazila Agriculture Office, farmers have cultivated chillies on 1,050 hectares this season against a target of 750 hectares. Of the total, early-season chillies were cultivated on 300 hectares, while the polythene mulching method was used on 25 hectares.

Farmers have cultivated several high-yielding varieties, including Mainamati, Green Super, Naga Fire, Bijli, Green Star, Super and Premium.

Madarganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Habibur Rahman said chilli production could exceed 42,000 tonnes this season due to the expansion of cultivation.

He said chillies produced in the upazila are being supplied to Dhaka, Sylhet, Chattogram, Narayanganj and other parts of the country.

The agriculture office has provided incentives to more than 200 farmers and is offering technical support and advice to encourage chilli cultivation using the polythene mulching method, he added.