Cauliflower price Tk25 in Dhaka but farmers struggle to sell even for Tk5

Highlights:

• Production cost is Tk15 per kg, but selling for Tk5
• Some farmers feed unsold cauliflower to cattle
• Cauliflower prices may rise to Tk60-70 per kg in Feb
• Prices of onions, Sonali, and broiler chicken have risen

In Dhaka's kitchen markets, cauliflower is being sold for Tk25 per piece, but farmers in rural areas are struggling to sell their produce for as little as Tk5. 

This price disparity has left many farmers unable to recover their production costs, with some even resorting to feeding unsold cauliflower to cattle.

Bashir Ahmed, a farmer from Airmara village in the Fukurhati union of Manikganj's Saturia upazila, cultivated cauliflower on 12 bighas of land last year, making a profit. Encouraged by this success, he expanded his cultivation to 20 bighas this season. However, with the price now plummeting, he is struggling to cover his expenses.

In Saturia, cauliflower is being sold for as low as Tk5 per kilogram. The increased cultivation of cauliflower, spurred by higher profits in recent years, has led to financial losses for many farmers. 

Rather than making a profit, they are facing losses of around Tk20,000 per bigha due to oversupply.

Bashir Ahmed told The Business Standard, "The price of cauliflower has dropped drastically. We are selling good-quality cauliflower for just Tk5 per piece. I sold the cauliflower from one bigha of land for Tk20,000, but my total costs, including land preparation, fertiliser, seeds, and labour, amounted to Tk50,000. The market system is not functioning properly. Even though we grow good crops, we are left wondering how to sell them."

Another farmer, from Savar, said, "I sent three truckloads of cauliflower from one bigha of land to Dhaka, but I only made Tk30,000 to 35,000, which means I lost Tk20,000."

Farmers in other regions, such as Bogura and Sirajganj, are facing similar challenges. 

They report high-quality cauliflower is being sold for Tk5 per kg, while the production cost per kg is around Tk15. Smaller-sized cauliflower is selling for Tk3 to 4 per kg.

At kitchen markets in the capital, such as Kalyanpur, Shewrapara, and Mohammadpur, good-quality cauliflower is being sold for Tk25.

Manikganj District Agricultural Marketing Officer Md Morshed Al-Mahmud said, "The price of cauliflower has dropped. We are working to ensure that farmers get fair prices. We are helping them find markets where there is higher demand, and we are guiding them on when to sell."

"Various winter vegetables are now available in the market, which is driving prices down. However, those who are cultivating these vegetables now are expected to get better prices in the coming months. In February, the price could rise to Tk60-70 per kg. We are informing farmers about the best times to grow crops and helping them reduce production costs through training," said Saturia Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdullah All Mamun.

Farhana Nargis, a research fellow at the Institute for Inclusive Finance and Development, told TBS, "Market monitoring needs to be done properly. There are many channels in between, and we need to reduce them. Agriculture officers should remain in continuous contact with farmers to ensure they receive fair prices. If not, farmers will be discouraged from producing crops. Proper measures must be taken in market management to maintain the balance between supply and demand."

Other commodity prices rise

In Dhaka's markets, the price of onions has risen by Tk5 per kg in the last week, with local new (muri-kata) onions selling for Tk55-65 per kg.

Rising commodity prices worsen hardships for Dhaka's low-income families

After 16 December, the price of Sonali chicken increased by Tk30-40 per kg, now selling for Tk330-350. Broiler chicken also saw a price hike of Tk20 per kg, reaching Tk200-210.

Also, there has been a shortage of bottled soybean oil in the capital's grocery stores, with prices Tk10 higher than usual.

Several shops in the area revealed that oil companies are not supplying soybean oil bottles in sufficient quantities to meet market demand, leading to price hikes. 

A shopkeeper at Mahin Store in Kalyanpur said, "We are unable to get 1-litre and 2-litre bottles of oil. How can we sell it?"

On the other hand, a sales assistant at Yasin General Store said, "We are purchasing soybean oil at Tk2 less than the listed price, but we no longer make a profit from selling it." 

However, stores in Karwan Bazar had soybean oil available at the government-set price.

On 9 December, the government increased the price of soybean oil by Tk8 per litre, bringing the new price to Tk175 per litre, up from Tk167. The price of loose soybean oil also rose, from Tk149 per litre to Tk157.