Diesel Deficit Disrupts Digitalized Farming: Mechanization Faces Fuel Fallout
The popularity of combined harvesters in the country is rapidly increasing to reduce labor and boost production in modern agriculture, with the government providing subsidies of up to 70 percent in haor areas and 50 percent in other regions to encourage their use. Currently, 15 percent of the country’s total cultivated paddy fields are harvested using these diesel-powered machines. Meanwhile, threshing machines used for separating paddy grains also depend on diesel, while smaller reaper machines run on petrol.
Due to the acute shortage of diesel, irrigation activities are being severely disrupted in districts such as Rajshahi, Chattogram, Sylhet, Gazipur, Barguna, Gopalganj, Kushtia, Faridpur, Chattogram, Jamalpur, Patuakhali, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, and Madaripur. In many areas, farmers are waiting for hours at fuel pumps without receiving oil, while in some places they are forced to purchase diesel from the open market at inflated prices ranging from 130 to 150 taka, directly increasing production costs.
Sushanta Biswas, a farmer from Kochua village in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah district, said that after cultivating onions, they usually sow jute on the same land. However, without diesel, land preparation for jute cultivation will become difficult. He added that if irrigation cannot be ensured on time, paddy yields may also suffer.
Shariful Islam, General Secretary of the Jhenaidah Fuel Pump Owners Association, stated that fuel depots are not supplying pumps according to demand. However, he mentioned that diesel supply remains relatively normal so far and farmers are still receiving fuel when they visit pumps. He expressed hope that there would be no significant negative impact on diesel supply in the coming weeks.
Bodi Mia, a farmer from Uzirpur upazila of Barishal, reported that due to the unavailability of fuel at pumps, timely irrigation is not possible, raising concerns that paddy seedlings may dry out. To address the situation, Upazila Agriculture Officer Kapil Biswas said that certification measures have been introduced to ensure diesel availability for farmers. These certificates are being issued in coordination with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer to prevent illegal stockpiling.
Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, the government-appointed tag officer at Sakura Petrol Pump and Upazila Social Services Officer, said that pumps are not receiving sufficient fuel. Nevertheless, strict monitoring is being carried out to ensure equitable distribution among all.
At Mita Filling Station in Bedgram area on the outskirts of Gopalganj town, farmers were seen waiting for hours with drums, bottles, and containers in hopes of obtaining diesel. The anxiety of securing fuel to irrigate and save their crops was evident, yet many had to return empty-handed after long waits.
Jamal Uddin, a farmer from Jhalakathi upazila, said that even after bringing necessary documents for petrol-powered machines, he could not obtain fuel from pumps. He noted that it is currently the irrigation period for boro fields, but due to the fuel shortage, irrigation is not possible. Another farmer, Mohsin Ali, said he received only 200 taka worth of fuel after waiting since morning, which is insufficient even for irrigating one bigha of land. As a result, farmers are unable to operate tractors, irrigation pumps, power tillers, pesticide sprayers, and harvesting and threshing machines due to inadequate diesel and petrol supply.
Experts in the agricultural machinery sector have proposed introducing an integrated, technology-based fuel supply system to address the crisis. Since machinery suppliers maintain records of equipment owners, they believe fuel could be directly distributed to farmers through identity-based monitoring systems.
According to sources, a single combined harvester requires approximately 60 to 70 liters of diesel per day. Ensuring proper allocation could prevent a major agricultural crisis and eliminate opportunities for illegal fuel stockpiling. If uninterrupted diesel supply is not ensured quickly during this irrigation and harvesting season, the production target of the country’s main crop, boro rice, may be hampered, posing a significant risk to overall food security.
Notably, ongoing tensions in the Middle East among Iran, the United States, and Israel have disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, significantly affecting fuel supply in Bangladesh. Although the country’s annual diesel demand is around 4.5 million metric tons, current reserves stand at only 122,660 tons. Against a daily demand of 12,000 tons, only 11,500 tons are currently being supplied, creating a gap in the overall supply system. The importance of diesel is particularly high during the agricultural irrigation season from December to May, when the average monthly demand for agricultural machinery alone is about 209,000 tons. Depending on rainfall, the agriculture sector requires approximately 7,000 tons of diesel daily during these six months.
DBTech/SM/MUIM/OR
