Varieties of hybrid seeds now widely used by the farmers of the country are posing a serious threat to the traditional, age- old, locally produced, indigenous crops and vegetables.
Moreover, the introduction of genetically modified seed, plant, crops and vegetables in the country are also posing a disastrous effect on health and nutrition of the people as well as on the environment.
According to sources, Bangladesh has already been flooded with a huge number of hybrid seeds and plants which are being widely cultivated by the farmers. Specially, the local varieties of fine rice which were produced by the farmers for ages have become extinct or on the verge of extinction .Earlier, hundreds of varieties of fine rice were produced in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Dinajpur and Rangpur districts. But, most of those are now extinct.
According to sources of Agriculture Extension Department, there were around 30,000 varieties of local rice in the country most of which have by now become extinct, even names of many of such varieties have been obliterated. Specifically, the Barind tract of greater Rajshahi and Bogra districts were famous for the production of fine rice. That rice had no match in terms of taste, aroma, quality and nutrition.
Now-a-days, the farmers of the Barind region no longer cultivate genuine, local varieties of Raghu shail, Jhinga shail, Paijam, Kalo Jira, Chini Modhu and hundreds of other varieties of rice.
The aromatic Basmati rice, an indigenous and prestigious variety of rice of the Barind region, was cultivated by the farmers of the region for centuries.
But, for want of processing and marketing facilities, the farmers of the region abandoned the cultivation of Basmati. As a result, the cultivation of Basmati was ultimately grabbed by the farmers of Thailand, India and Pakistan and by the government patronisation of the respective countries.
Not only for rice but also for cereals like mustard, gram, lentil, mungbean, Kalai, maize, wheat, pulses with innumerous hybrid varieties are now being cultivated widely in the country. Though the taste and odour of those hybrid cereals has deteriorated, the farmers are interested in cultivating those crops because of their high production and harvesting rate, less crop loss and healthy looking.
Almost all the vegetables including brinjal, korolla, potato, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet-potato, cucumber, lemon, gourd, bean, lady's finger, papiya, Jhinga, Borboti, green chilli, ginger, onion, garlic, tomato, radish,sweet gourd and many other vegetables which are now available in the country belong to the hybrid varieties.
It is no wonder that these hybrid varieties of vegetables do not grow without excessive use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides.
The Chinese variety of brinjal needs a daily spraying of toxic pesticides for its healthy growth. It is impossible to produce hybrid varieties of tomato without the use of excessive chemical fertilisers and pesticide, the early varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, potato and other winter vegetables also require a huge application of chemical fertiliser and pesticides for their growth.
Now- a-days, the local varieties of red radish, ucchey (local varieties of small korolla), lentil, gram, mungbean, gourd and tomato are on the verge of extinction.
Doctors in Rajshahi informed, consumption of hybrid vegetables is highly injurious to health. The hybrid varieties of brinjal, lady's finger, tomato, radish, onion, garlic,bean, ginger, gourd and onion lack taste, aroma and nutritive value.
The doctors and the elderly people are of the opinion that the use of unlimited chemical fertilisers and pesticides has made all the crops and vegetables of the country toxic. They said, even 40 to 45 years ago when there was no use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, people had no idea what Acidity, Hypertension,cancer and many other complex diseases were.
