The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shamim Jahangir

The target of foodgrain production is likely to be fixed at 312.04 lakh tonnes from 253.8 lakh hectares of land in the 2008-09 fiscal surpassing the last year's target by 55.4 lakh tonnes, according to Agriculture Ministry sources.

This will be the highest foodgrain production target in a given year in the history of Bangladesh, sources said.

To achieve this target, the government has decided to increase subsidy in agriculture sector to Tk 8,000 crore in the upcoming budget from Tk 3900 crore in the revised budget of last fiscal.

Of the total quantity, the aman production target has been fixed at 136.59 lakh tonnes from 58.20 lakh hectares of lands, Boro at 196.14 lakh tonnes from 46.75 lakh hectares, Aush at 23.69 lakh tonnes from 11.27 lakh hectares.

The government will raise the target of wheat production to 10.40 lakh tonnes from 8.40 last year.

The maize will be at 12.75 lakh tonnes from 2.15 lakh hectares of land, potato to 75 lakh tonnes from 5 lakh hectares, sweet potato to 8.40 lakh tonnes from 0.60 lakh hectares and sugarcane 36 lakh tonnes from 0.75 lakh hectares.

Besides, the target of vegetables production has been raised to 100 lakh tonnes in the coming year from the last year's target of 81 lakh tonnes.

The target of production of mustard seeds will be five lakh tonnes from the five lakh hectors of lands, peanut 1.44 lakh tonnes from 0.85 lakh hectares, Soyabean 0.48 lakh tonnes from 0.50 hectares of lands, pulse 1.50 lakh tonnes from 1.50 lakh hectares and lentil 2.25 lakh metric tonnes from 2.50 lakh hectares.

The production target would be finalised at an inter ministerial meeting next week, sources added.

A high official of the Agriculture Ministry said, "our farmers will be able achieve the target if they get fertilisers and irrigation facilities on time."