Marginalisation of Sunamganj Farmers as Paddy Prices Collapse Below State Floor

Despite the official commencement of the government’s paddy procurement programme at a fixed rate of £1,440 BDT per maund (approximately 37.3 kg), marginal farmers in the Sunamganj district are failing to reap the intended financial benefits. Severe weather conditions, including torrential rainfall and flash floods from upstream, coupled with a persistent lack of sunlight, have left farmers unable to dry their produce. Consequently, many are being forced to liquidate their stocks for as little as 600 to 700 BDT per maund—less than half the price guaranteed by the state.

The Impact of Adverse Weather and Flash Floods

The agricultural landscape of the Haor region has been severely compromised by several days of continuous precipitation and the resulting surge of water from the upstream hills. According to local reports, thousands of hectares of ripened crops have been submerged. While some farmers have managed to harvest portions of their paddy through significant effort, they have encountered a secondary crisis in the post-harvest phase: the inability to dry the grain.

The absence of sunlight for several consecutive days has led to high moisture content in the harvested crops. In many instances, the wet paddy stored in open yards (khola) has begun to sprout, a process that rapidly deteriorates the colour, texture, and overall quality of the grain. This biological degradation has drastically reduced the marketability of the produce, leaving farmers vulnerable to exploitation.

Economic Distress and Market Exploitation

The plight of the Haor farmers is exacerbated by immediate fiscal pressures. Most marginal cultivators operate on thin margins and lack the liquid capital necessary to settle the wages of seasonal harvesters. To meet these urgent debts, farmers are being compelled to bring their wet, unrefined paddy to the market immediately.

Local wholesalers and alleged syndicates have been accused of capitalising on this desperation. These intermediaries are purchasing the moisture-laden paddy at a fraction of its true value, citing the poor quality and the costs associated with artificial drying. Farmers have lamented that at current market rates, they are unable even to recover the basic costs of production, including seeds, fertilisers, and labour.

Official Procurement Figures and Government Strategy

On Sunday, 3 May 2026, the Food Department officially launched its procurement drive across the twelve sub-districts (upazilas) of Sunamganj. B.M. Mushfiqur Rahman, an official at the District Food Controller’s Office, detailed the targets for the current season.

• Total Collection Target: 21,349 metric tonnes of paddy.

• Government Purchase Price: 1,440 BDT per maund.

• Method of Acquisition: Direct purchase from listed farmers via the “Krishoker App” and manual selection.

The government aims to provide a price cushion to protect the rural economy from market volatility. However, the logistical reality in Sunamganj suggests a disconnect between policy and practice. The state’s strict quality requirements—which mandate that paddy must be properly dried and cleaned before it is accepted at government silos—effectively disqualify many of the most affected farmers who cannot achieve these standards due to the current climate.

Demands for Direct Intervention

In light of the crisis, the farming community has issued an urgent appeal to the authorities to refine the procurement process. Their primary demand is the absolute exclusion of middlemen and intermediaries from the state’s supply chain. They argue that unless the Food Department ensures that purchases are made exclusively from genuine, marginal farmers who have suffered crop damage, the 1,440 BDT rate will only benefit wealthy traders who buy cheap and sell to the government at a premium.

Agricultural experts suggest that the government should consider setting up emergency drying facilities or relaxing moisture content restrictions during such natural calamities to safeguard the livelihoods of the peasantry. Without such interventions, the gap between the official floor price and the actual market reality threatens to leave the Sunamganj agricultural sector in a state of long-term insolvency.