The project titled “Development and Enhancement of Agricultural Seeds through Biotechnology” will contribute significantly in boosting the potato production across the country especially in the vast Barind Tract. In this regard, the government will setup a biotechnology department at Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC).
Biotechnology is the application of any technology to biological systems and living organisms or derivatives to develop or make useful products for specific use. With the onset of potato cultivation season, country’s farmers face crisis of quality seeds as supply by BADC can not meet the demand. Taking the chance, an unholy nexus of dealers are also set to create an artificial crisis of potato seeds through string syndication and increased price of seeds during the cultivation season.
More importance should be attached
on setting up of adequate potato
preservation facilities
We think when the biotechnology department will be able to produce the plant-lets of potato and supply them to the potato seed department, there will be no crisis of quality seeds in the country.
Farmers prefer BADC produced seeds as they are cultivated and preserved in a scientific way, free from virus and fungus, and high yielding. Most potato seeds, except BADC's, are below standard.
More importance should be attached on setting up of adequate potato preservation facilities and agri-industries along with enhancing its exports to make potato farming more profitable in the country.
After the Awami League government came to power in 1996, it has launched the hybrid technology in agriculture in the same way it is going for biotechnology to boost up country’ production capacity. We believe through biotechnology activities, quality planting material will increase seed production and indirectly increase the yield by 20 to 25 percent to meet the demand for seed potatoes in the country, reduce import dependence and save foreign exchange.
This engineering technique for breeding process, in agriculture will also enrich the potato production, opening up new horizons for the country.
And we expect a bumper potato production in the country in coming days as farmers will be sowing of quality seeds. Apart from these, the farmers will be very happy after getting lucrative market price as they would be able to produce high quality potatoes during harvesting season.
