Farmers across Joypurhat district have expressed growing frustration over the inflated costs of non-urea chemical fertilisers during the ongoing Aman rice cultivation season. Local agriculturalists report that although supplies remain available in the market, retail traders are charging between 300 and 400 Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) above government-fixed prices per 50-kilogram bag.
The sharpest price gouging affects essential soil nutrients, specifically Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP), and Muriate of Potash (MOP). According to official guidelines, a 50kg bag of TSP is priced at BDT 1,350, yet retailers are selling it for BDT 1,800 to BDT 1,900. Similarly, DAP fertiliser, which carries an official price tag of BDT 1,050, is being retailed at BDT 1,300 to BDT 1,350. MOP fertiliser is likewise being marked up to BDT 1,350 from its set price of BDT 1,050.
Farmers allege that retailers systematically refuse to issue official receipts for these purchases. Anyone demanding a cash memo faces threats of being denied fertiliser altogether, forcing growers to pay extortionate rates to safeguard their crops. Nurul Sardar and Mofazzal, two farmers from Daulatpur village in Khetlal upazila, noted that while official price charts are displayed prominently inside shops, traders disregard them entirely.
The financial burden comes at a critical juncture for regional agriculture. Official data from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) shows that Joypurhat has set an Aman cultivation target of 70,095 hectares this season, with planting already completed across 97 percent of the land. Farmers are currently engaged in weeding, nurturing, and applying vital nutrients to their fields.
Another local grower from Panchuil village, Golam Mostafa, highlighted the broader economic strain. Having planted paddy on three bighas of land, he voiced deep concern over rising input costs alongside stagnant grain prices, noting that recent financial losses during the potato season have already pushed many smallholders to the brink.
Responding to the allegations, Shahzaman Talukdar, a seed and fertiliser merchant at Choumuhani Market, acknowledged that strict market monitoring is needed to curb unfair pricing since there is no genuine shortage of stocks. Conversely, Md Rawnakul Islam Chowdhury, President of the District Fertiliser Traders’ Association, maintained that registered BCIC dealers are not overcharging, though he conceded that supply availability is slightly tight relative to demand.
Addressing the issue, A.K.M. Sadikul Islam, Deputy Director of the Joypurhat DAE, assured that sufficient stockpiles exist, with 9,651 metric tonnes of fertiliser allocated for the current month alone. Distribution is managed through 58 BCIC dealers, 112 BADC dealers, and 326 retail distributors across the district. He urged farmers to submit formal complaints with proof, promising swift and stringent legal action against any merchant violating official pricing directives.
