Farmers give in to lure of profits
Despite the risks to soil and the environment, tobacco companies are encouraging farmers in Lalmionirhat to expand tobacco cultivation this year. Influenced by previous profits, farmers are now choosing new areas for planting tobacco seedlings.
This shift may lead to challenges in growing essential crops like food grains, vegetables, and mustard, potentially resulting in decreased acreage and production in the district.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, approximately 25,000 farmers in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat cultivated tobacco last year on 9,500 hectares of land.
There are offices and warehouses for six tobacco companies in Lalmonirhat, and their representatives are in direct contact with the farmers to help them with tobacco cultivation.
Farmers said they sold tobacco at Tk 6,000-8,000 per maund (40kg) last year, up from Tk 4,000-5,000 per maund in the previous years, thereby making a significant profit.
This year, they have prepared to cultivate tobacco on more lands, while the companies are providing free seeds, fertilisers, and interest-free loans, they added.
"I cultivated tobacco on four bighas of land at a cost of Tk 84,000 last year, producing 28 maunds of tobacco, which was sold at Tk 7,000 per maund, earning me a profit of Tk 1,12,000," said farmer Nurul Islam of Kakina village under Kaliganj upazila.
"This year I have prepared eight bighas of land for tobacco cultivation," he added.
Farmers Abed Ali of Karnpur village under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila and Srikanta Barman of Bhelabari village under Aditmari upazila also said they are including more lands for tobacco cultivation this year.
"Tobacco cultivation, however, requires more labour. Every family member has to work in the field," Abed Ali added.
Hamidur Rahman, DAE deputy director in Lalmonirhat, said since the government has not banned tobacco cultivation, the DAE cannot directly ask farmers to stop cultivating tobacco.
Farmers are only being made aware of the harmful impacts of tobacco cultivation and consumption, he said.
"Though the farmers are getting temporary profit from tobacco, in the long run, it will cause serious damage to the soil and environment, along with threatening food production," Hamidur added.
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