Okra yield high but price fall frustrates farmers

Bumper yield of okra brought smiles to the farmers in the district, especially those in Ishwardi upazila, early summer but now they are disappointed due to the drastic price fall of the popular vegetable.

"In early summer a maund of okra sold for Tk 1500 to 1700 but now it is selling for only Tk 250 to 300 as bumper production has caused its drastic price fall," Aminur Rahman Babu, an okra farmer of Muladuli village, also a wholesaler of Muladuli market, said during this correspondent's visit there on Saturday.

"Now 30 to 40 trucks loaded with okra are daily sent to different areas of the country from Muladuli market, as the supply has doubled due to bumper production," he said.

Five hundred hectares of land in Ishwardi upazila has been brought under okra cultivation this year with expectation to produce 5,500 tonnes but the yield may cross 7,000 tonnes as favourable weather has resulted in its bumper yield, said Md Khurshid Alam, upazila agriculture officer.

Visiting different areas in Ishwardi upazila, this correspondent found the okra farmers worried due to its poor market price.

Still they expect to make some profit due to high yield.

"Last year I cultivated okra on two bighas of land and earned a profit of Tk 20 thousand. This year I have cultivated it on five bighas and produced 380 maunds of vegetable. But now I cannot expect much profit as the bumper production this season has led to its drastic price fall," said Rabiul Alam, a farmer of Muladuli village.

Vegetable farmer and trader Aminur Rahman Babu has demanded that the authorities arrange preservation of locally produced vegetables to ensure fair prices for the growers.