Staff Reporter
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury yesterday warned that the government would not tolerate artificial crisis of fertiliser and diesel during ongoing Boro season.
She was speaking it a dialogue on Boro Production: Immediate Tasks for the Newly Elected Government as a chief guest at CIRDAP auditorium. The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organised the dialogue. Former Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim, Secretary of Agriculture Ministry Sheikh Enayetullah, CPD Executive Director Mostafizur Rahman, BRAC Executive Director
Prof Mahbub Hossain, Bangladesh Fertiliser Association President Kafil Uddin, Economist Prof Atiur Rahman, farmer Nazrul Islam and Bahauddin, among others, were present in the dialogue. CPD head in research division Dr Uttam Deb presented the keynote paper.
Matia said, “If the businessmen want to create artificial crisis of fertiliser and diesel during ongoing Boro season, then the government will intervene in the market.”
She pointed out the recent bailout of the US economy and said that we are ready to provide cash and other subsidy in the agricultural sector to ensure production in this sector.
” The government wouldn’t allow any interference of world bank and International Monitory Fund in the agriculture sector” she strongly said.
The Agriculture Minister said the crisis of the fertiliser would intensify across the country if the government couldn’t reduce the prices of non-urea fertilisers.
She said that the farmers are not getting the fertilisers at reduced prices in thana level. Matia hoped that the low priced fertilisers would get in Union Parisand level within a day or two.
About the price support of producing crops from farmers, the Minister said that the Awami League government earlier provided the price support to growers and that would be continued.
She mentioned that we had procured rice Tk 12 per kg when it was Tk 10 in previous Awami League regime in 1996 to 2001.
The government is now thinking to revive about ‘farmer to farmer exchange’ method to produce better seeds in the country.
“We permitted the private organisation to produce better seeds in the country,” Matia said, adding, “The government will not allow any irregularities in this regard.”
She expressed her dissatisfaction about the mismanagement on agricultural sector of the BNP and recent past caretaker government in this sector.
CS Karim said that the Government should ensure electricity for irrigation during ongoing Boro season for the farmers even resorting power cut in cities.
He suggested the government for not sealing the fertiliser in open market. “If the government will distribute fertilisers in the open market, then the farmers couldn’t get fertiliser during their need.”
Karim called upon the government to use technology to increase crops production.
Nazrul Islam, a grower in Netrokona said that he has yet got reduction prices fertiliser at his area.
Bahauddin, another farmer of Astagram in Kishorgonj said that the government should ensure fertiliser in open market to ensure availability.
“If we shall not get fertiliser in time, the Boro production would be hampered,” he warned.
Mahbubur Rahaman said that the government should fix realistic production target of crops otherwise the farmers fail to get real price of their production.
Economist Dr Atiur Rahaman said that the government should form a citizen committee for distribution of fertiliser in village level properly.
For ensuring food security, he suggested to expand the government 100 days programme to support 3.50 crore extreme poor across the country.
Moazzem Hossain said that the government should provide better seeds among the farmers to ensure better crops.
Dr Uttam Deb in his paper said the supply of quality seed will ensure rice production.
He added that a total of 76 per cent to 77 per cent hybrid seed come from the abroad.
“In Boro season about 12 lakh tonnes of diesel are used for irrigation. Thus, farmers will have to bear about additional Tk 480 crore in the current Boro season,” Uttam said adding, “The government will have to distribute Tk 540 crore allocated as diesel subsidies in the budget. In distributing diesel subsidy, widespread banking channels can be utilised.”
He pointed out that the prices of essentials would depend on the prices of fertiliser, diesel and electricity.
Courtesy: nation.ittefaq.com
