Keeping in mind the interest of farmers and development of agriculture, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has lowered price of fertilizer for the fifth time to reduce the cost of agro production and make the sector profitable, reports BSS.
Agriculture has to be commercialized, modernized and mechanized to reap its benefits for helping the country become a developed nation, he added.
Agriculture Minister Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque was addressing the annual conference of the Bangladesh Agronomy Society at the auditorium of Krishibid Institution in the city, said a press release.
Razzaque said, by cultivating only 8.75 million hectares of land, Bangladesh has attained self-sufficiency in food and earned the status of a food surplus country.
Sheikh Hasina has come up with an agro-friendly policy that promises to aptly inspire the agriculturalists to do their fullest and also the peasants to work hard for growing more food, the minister.
He also said immediately after independence the country’s food production was only 11 million metric tons which has now stood at 362.79 million metric tons.
Razzaque continued: imports of many agricultural products should be reduced by increasing their output.
Production of oil seeds and pulses should be increased locally and in the future, maize production should be risen to 60-70 lakh metric tons as oil can be produced from maize, he said. Greater importance should be given to diversification of crops and safe nutritious foods, the minister said. President of Bangladesh Agronomy Society Dr. Md Rafikul Islam presided over the conference while member of ERD and Senior Secretary Dr Md Samsul Islam and Executive Director of Agriculture Research Foundation Dr Wais Kabir were present there as special guests.
