Although the salt production season has officially begun along the coast, Cox’s Bazar’s salt fields remain unusually quiet.
Typically, these fields are buzzing with activity from November to May, but this year, many farmers are hesitant to start work.
Low market prices, rising land lease rates and labour costs, along with consecutive losses over the past two years, have pushed a large number of farmers to the brink of financial ruin.
In Bottoli of Haidarpara, Cox’s Bazar Sadar, farmers were usually at their busiest during this time last year.
Today, those same fields lie empty. Salt farmer Chayad Alam from Choufaldandi shared that despite harvesting around 950 maunds from two acres last year, his production cost stood at Tk 400–450 per maund, while the selling price dropped to just Tk 200.
This resulted in a loss of about Tk 2.5 lakh. Many other farmers report similar experiences.
Nurul Islam from Eidgaon stated that nearly 1,000 maunds of salt from the past two years have remained unsold in storage pits.
According to him, the lack of fair prices has severely strained their livelihoods.
Local farmer Humayun Kabir added that, although farmers work in salt fields for six months, they remain without income for the rest of the year.
Unlike other labour-dependent sectors, salt farmers receive almost no government support.
Farmer and trader associations blame rumours of industrial salt imports, alleged mill owners’ syndicates, and rising lease and labour costs for the ongoing crisis.
Cox’s Bazar has approximately 41,000 salt farmers, yet only a limited number from Kutubdia and Banshkhali have begun fieldwork this season.
According to BSCIC, 340,000 metric tonnes of last year’s salt still remain unsold in the fields. Deputy General Manager Md Zafar Iqbal Bhuiyan said farmers are currently receiving only Tk 240 per maund but expressed hope that prices would improve in the coming weeks.
He also noted that prolonged monsoon rains delayed field preparation this year.
At a review meeting on 11 November at the Cox’s Bazar DC office, Industries Secretary Obaidur Rahman said the government would not permit food-grade salt to be imported under the pretext of industrial salt.
If necessary, he threatened to take strict action. The government is currently reviewing proposals to ensure fair prices for farmers.
Farmers say they will not return to the fields unless fair pricing and support are guaranteed.
The government, however, remains optimistic that salt farmers will resume production soon.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Cox’s Bazar Life Photo
