Alleged collusion among dealers and retailers to hike fertiliser prices by “creating an artificial shortage” through hoarding and supply control is causing discontent among farmers, according to a report prepared by the Special Branch of the police.
The report was sent to the home ministry on September 8 for further action, along with 15 recommendations aimed at addressing the issues identified.
This year, farming has already become costlier due to higher prices of diesel, pesticides and labour, driving up production costs. As a result, farmers are now anxious about recovering these costs once the harvest is over.
Although total fertiliser demand for fiscal year 2025-26 was set at 58 lakh tonnes, allegations of irregularities have been found against nearly 24 percent of dealers.
The fertiliser stock stands at 14.79 lakh tonnes, according to the report.
The actual demand for fertiliser is not properly assessed, and the government does not allocate fertiliser according to demand in all areas, resulting in shortages in most districts of the country, it said.
The report called for ensuring a transparent and competitive process free from political and local influence in appointing dealers, selecting dealers through a digital lottery based on merit, online monitoring of dealers’ fertiliser stock and distribution, and taking swift legal action, including cancellation of dealership, if irregularities are found.
It also called for taking strict legal action, including cancellation of dealership, if evidence of hoarding or syndication is found and introducing special monitoring of fertiliser transport and sale in border districts where there is a risk of it being illegally smuggled.
After receiving the report, the home ministry reviewed and scrutinised its findings and then forwarded it to the agriculture ministry for taking further necessary steps, said a home ministry official.
The government’s agricultural planning has a serious risk management failure, leaving farmers exposed to predictable crises such as fertiliser shortages, said Moin Us Salam, a former professor in the Department of Agronomy at Bangladesh Agricultural University.
Responding only after a crisis erupts reflects weak planning and poor governance, he said, while urging the government to identify risks early, strengthen monitoring and maintain reliable supply systems.
He stressed that every agricultural policy must include clear contingency plans, defined responsibilities, and timely corrective action to prevent the same failures from recurring.
Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/dealer-retailer-clique-hurting-farmers-sb-4272311
