Cauliflower sold for just Tk 1 a kg

A sudden fall in the price of cauliflowers has frustrated the farmers in Lalmonirhat as they have been counting losses.

A week ago, they growers sold cauliflowers for Tk 10 per kg, but now the price has come down to Tk 1.

Since the item is perishable, the farmers have no alternative to selling it at whatever price they get.

Trader Ashraful Islam, 50, of Kumrihat vegetable market in Aditmari upazila, said they have not been sending cauliflowers to the capital for the last one week as trucks have not returned from Dhaka due to traffic jams.

 “We are not interested in procuring cauliflowers from the farmers since their transportation is uncertain,” he added.

Another trader at Goshala Bazar retail market in the district headquarters said they are selling per kg cauliflowers at Tk 3. “Now there is huge supply in the local market with little demand.”

Atul Chandra Roy, 40, who cultivated cauliflowers on eight bighas of land at Durakuti village in Sadar upazila, said despite very good production he is quite upset at fall of price.

“I got Tk 65,000 selling 6,500 kg of cauliflowers at Tk 10 per kg only a week ago. But I got only Tk 4,000 for 4,000 kg cauliflowers on Saturday,” he added.

He said the growers spent up to Tk 4 to produce one kg of cauliflowers.

Morshedul Islam, 48, another farmer at Kamlabari village in Aditmari upazila, said their produce has become a huge burden for them.

 “I gained my desired profit from cauliflowers last year. But the fall of price has shattered all my hopes,” he said.

Cauliflower was cultivated on 5,000 hectares of land in Lalmonirhat this season and around 90 percent of the production has been sold at fair price, Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension Bidhubhushon Roy told The Daily Star.