The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE farm sector in Bangladesh has, so far, contributed significantly to the growth of the economy. More and more farm produces apart from paddy, jute, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables are being marketed by farmers. The owners of farmlands and even the share-croppers are using modern farm inputs including chemical fertiliser, high yielding variety (HYV) seeds and irrigation for augmenting production. The traditional system of plantating and harvesting crops have changed. The age-old practice of production of crops in set seasons has also partially changed. The land is now used all over the year for cultivation of different crops.

The use of chemical fertiliser has increased and that mainly due to inadequate availability of organic fertiliser. The production and supply of chemical fertiliser has also increased over the years with the government setting up fertiliser factories in the country. The local factories are producing around fifteen lakh metric tonnes of fertiliser against the demand for twenty-eight lakh metric tonnes. That being so, the country needs to import around thirteen lakh tonnes of chemical fertiliser every year. The relevant official agencies and the business community have to work in cooperation with each other for meeting the demand of the farmers. In the process, some mismatches also appear in the distribution of fertiliser.

The demand and the use of fertiliser have been monitored by the official agencies including the Ministries of Industries and Agriculture from time to time. Those agencies exchange views on the demand and supply of fertiliser from time to time. The price of this farm input has been brought under review. Fertiliser, both locally produced and imported, are sold at prices that are lower than their actual value with government subsidy. The demand for chemical fertiliser shows an uptrend and the supply thereof has to be ensured for higher agricultural output. The production of fertiliser has to be increased, if necessary, with installation of additional units and increase of the workforce. The import of fertiliser should also be augmented. The increased demand for food of the millions of people cannot be met unless the production in the farm sector is augmented. Both long-term and short-term programmes for increased supply of fertiliser have to be adopted, without loss of time for the purpose.