The New Nation - Internet Edition

Business Desk

So far 21 percent of the target of agricultural credit has been disbursed during the first four months of the current fiscal, official sources said. Since the country's northern part was hit by the back-to-back floods in August and the southern part by the hurricane on November 15 night, an huge amount of agricultural credit is required to keep the working hands workable that the food production is not at all hampered. Experts fear that the food production during the fiscal 2007-08 may lag behind the target by 15 lakh metric tonnes, compelling the government to import additional quantity of food.

More import means more pressure on the country's hard earned foreign currency, leading to further rise of inflation, which is already hovering over double digit. Realising this reality, the government has stressed on the disbursement of agricultural credit throughout the country by the specialised and the commercial banks. But the ratio of disbursement is not hopeful.

During the period from July to October, 2007 the commercial banks disbursed taka 1780.29 crore out of the targetted amount of taka 8192.43 crore. The eight state owned banks and other organisations disbursed taka 1317.82 crore out of taka 6844.50 crore, on the other hand, the 30 private commercial banks disbursed taka 462.47 crore out of 1347.93 crore.

Bangladesh Krishi Bank disbursed taka 681.89 crore, Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank taka 191.69 crore, Sonali Bank had disbursed taka 81.32 crore, Janata Bank taka 78.03 crore, Agrani Bank taka 50.39 crore and Rupali Bank taka 7.03 crore.

The amon season being over, the rabi season has stalked. The farmers need fertilisers, seeds and pesticides to start the cultivation of rabi crops. The marginal and the sharecroppers are badly in need of the agri-credit because they are the most sufferers. Failing to get loan from the banks, they approach to the moneylenders who lend on excessive rate of interest. As a result, both the marginal farmers and the sharecroppers could taka a little from the part of their crops after harvesting. To save them, the government must stand by them with financial assistance and valuable advice.