Editorial
Falling rice prices
Farmers in dire need of a beneficial procurement drive
WITH the beginning of the Boro harvesting season, farmers find themselves in a very difficult situation as the price of un-husked rice has gone down to the level where they cannot even recover the production cost. This follows their having incurred heavy losses with crops like wheat and potato earlier on.
The situation calls for efficient handling by the government to protect the interests of the huge number of farmers who produce rice. The agriculture minister has assured us that the government would do its best to protect the farmers. The government has to adopt a liberal procurement policy and fix the price of Boro in such a way that will enable the farmers to make a profit while helping the government to build adequate stocks of rice.
Experts have pointed out the hazards associated with not bailing out the Boro farmers. They may shift to other crops if the Boro turns out to be a losing one this season. This may create a shortage of rice in the country. We must not forget that the situation looked grim last year before the farmers came to our rescue with a bumper Boro harvest. Now, it is the government's duty to reciprocate and help the farmers cope with the falling rice prices.
The point to be noted here is that the production costs of Boro have gone up, despite the government's reducing the prices of fertilisers by almost 50 per cent. The price of diesel had also been lowered. But the farmers had to pay a lot more for other agricultural inputs. The production costs of Boro this season are reported to be higher than that of Aman, a better quality rice.
The issue brings to the fore the question of high rice prices that badly affect the consumers. Now, it is clear that the interests of both the farmers and the consumers have to be safeguarded to avoid any lopsided development in rice production and marketing.
Since attaining self-sufficiency in food is a prime objective before the country, the farmers' interest in rice cultivation must be protected through adoption of policies which will prevent erratic or unexpected market behaviour that might affect both the producers and consumers. The government, in consultation with the agronomists and economists, will have to take such steps as will keep the market steady and predictable.
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