The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The government yesterday formally initiated a process to procure fertilizer from Russia, Morocco and Belarus to make it available to farmers before the next Aman paddy cultivation.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim had a meeting with Russian Ambassador Dr Gennady Trotsenko and Moroccan Ambassador Mohammed Houror at the Foreign Ministry in a bid to arrange 28.5 lakh tons of Urea fertilizer.

Of the 28.5 lakh tons of Urea, the government would procure 15-17 lakh tons from external sources, including Russia, Morocco and Belarus, and the remaining 12-13 lakh tons will be produced locally. Besides, five lakh tons of TSP and 3 lakh tons of MOP will be needed.

"We've got a positive response from the Ambassadors," Dr Iftekhar told reporters after the meeting, expressing the hope that the required quantum of fertilizer would be arriving soon.

In reply to a question, the Foreign Adviser said they have decided to appoint an honourary counselor in Belarus. Besides, he said, Belarus government would be contacted through Bangladesh missions in Russia, UN in New York and a Belarus agent in Singapore.

The Foreign Adviser said some 17.6 lakh metric tons of Boro paddy were produced this year. "We're expecting 13 million tons of Aman paddy and one lakh ton of Aus production in the coming seasons," he said.

Asked if the government would require import of food grains after the bumper harvest of Boro, Iftekhar said the country needs to have strategic reserve of food grains to meet the eventuality saying that the government food policy has been a great success.

Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim said import of the fertilizer would complete from July to January next year.

He said the government wants to make available the agri- inputs, including the fertilizer, through the inter-state understanding to build up a long-term food security reserve.

He said since there is a pressure on fertilizer, this needs to be procured and supplied to farmers in time to keep up the good production like Boro.

The current initiative to procure Urea fertilizer was taken in line with the FAO meeting held recently in Rome.