The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rajshahi

The time-fitting initiatives adopted by the government to take the agriculture sector forward throughout 2009 has been acclaimed by all concerned in the northwestern Bangladesh.

Agriculturists and research organizations told BSS that the steps play important role in benefiting the farmers coupled with uplifting their livelihood as a whole. Principal Scientific Officer of Regional Wheat Research Center Dr Israil Hossain viewed that the farmers suffer due to the adverse climatic condition in some extent but they were benefited with the government assistance and getting expected market price of their crops and vegetables.

He referred to the price-reduction of non-urea fertilizers in two times and adequate supply of those removing panic and anxiety among the grassroots farmers relating to exorbitant price hike and availability of fertilizers in time. Besides, he said the decision of subsidy to irrigation fuel and 100-hour free of cost irrigation from power- driven deep tubewells due to the adverse climatic condition has encouraged the farmers in T-Aman farming tremendously. Likewise, he added that the farmers got expected price of their produced cash crops like rice, paddy, jute, potato and vegetables which motivated them to go for more farming during the current year.

Farmer Rahim Uddin of Paba upazila told BSS that the farmers sold 40-kilogram coarse paddy at Taka 600 to 650 while the fine at 700 to 750 by the last yearend.

In 2009, the per mound jute price was at Taka 1100 to 1500 while the price was below Taka 1000 in 2008. Similarly, he said the price of an 84-kilogram potato sack was Taka 2000 to 2300 against Taka 1000 to 1400 in 2008. Apart from this, the farmers got expected price of all kinds of vegetables including potato. Rahim Uddin stated that the farmers were benefited with the government endeavors and added that the profit rate would be more if the dominance of the middlemen and other frauds could be checked substantially.

Talking to BSS, vegetable farmer Badiuzzaman said that he was benefited significantly after farming varieties of vegetables including potato, chilly, brinjal and gourd through the best uses of the government initiatives. He also lauded the government steps to provide identity cards to the farmers, by which, he opined that tyranny of the fake farmers in getting government facilities could be resisted to a greater extent.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Ansar Ali told BSS that all the undertaken steps were pro-farmers and need-oriented benefiting the farmers in boosting crop production.

Abdul Mannan, Executive Director of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), a pioneer state-level irrigation providing organization in the region, told BSS that the region has been playing a vital role in food grain production as it fulfills around 40 percent of the country's total target in average.

He acknowledged the government's time-fitting measures to make the nation self- reliant in food.