Fall in price frustrates cucumber farmers

Mymensingh's farmers are frustrated due to the decrease in price of cucumber. One kilo of cucumber is being sold at just Tk 5, which is way below the harvest and transportation costs of the produce, they said.

Tarakanda, Phulpur, Gouripur, Ishwarganj and Nandail are prominent areas for cucumber production, said sources in Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Mymensingh.

Talking to this correspondent, Kajal Sarker, a farmer of Bherua village in Tarakanda, said at the beginning of harvest early this month, he sold cucumber at Tk 30 to Tk 35 per kg but gradually the price dropped.

"The prices we received made us hopeful for a better profit from this three-month cultivation, but now we're very frustrated," said Kajal, involved in cucumber cultivation for the last 12 years.

"We ship the produce to Guatola Bazaar. The transportation cost itself is more than the selling price," claimed Shahed Ali of the same area.

Dulal Mia, a local agent of Tarakanda wholesale market, said due to sharp fall in cucumber prices, they couldn't run their business well. Ratan Khan Bhabdari, another whole sale trader at Tarakanda's Boula Bazar echoed the same.

While visiting the city's Mechhua Bazar Kitchen Market, it was found that cucumber is being sold at several times higher after being bought from the farmers.

Abul Bashar, a retailer at the bazaar, said now cucumber's being sold at Tk 25-30 per kg which was two to three times higher at the beginning of Ramadan. But now, they buy cucumbers at Tk 10-12 per kg from whole sale market, he said.

Contacted, Md Motiuzzaman, the deputy director of DAE in Mymensingh, said cucumber was cultivated on over 1,200-hectare land in the district and the production was high due to good weather. Around 10,000 farmers are involved with this cultivation in the district, said DAE sources.

As farmers get a fair profit, cucumber cultivation is increasing every year. However, a reasonable price is needed for their survival, said the deputy director.