A three-day show on agro-based products and technology starts on Thursday, with the objective to equip farmers to obtain higher yields.
“The objective of the fair is to make stakeholders aware of the new technologies such that we can boost agricultural production and add more value through processing,” Anwar Faruque, additional secretary of the agriculture ministry, said at a press conference in Dhaka.
The fair, Third Agro Bangladesh 2012, will be held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, and will remain open from 11am to 7pm.
Some 65 firms — including companies from India, Thailand, Taiwan, China, Japan, Turkey and the UK — will display seeds, fertilisers, farm equipment and pesticides they offer.
Banks, too, will participate, to inform about the loan packages and services they offer for the farm sector.
Organised by the agriculture ministry and Bangladesh Seed Association in association with the fisheries and livestock ministry, the fair will also hold seminars on agriculture and farm technology.
Faruque said the use of technology played a vital role in trebling the country’s rice production to nearly 3.5 crore tonnes from 1 crore tonnes just after independence.
The introduction of hybrid seeds enhanced production in spite of a declining cultivable land, he said citing examples of maize and vegetables.
“We now get vegetables throughout the year. It has become possible because of technology,” said Faruque, also the director general of the agriculture ministry’s seed wing.
-With The Daily Star input
