If Boro paddy can be successfully harvested, there will be no food crisis in the country.
The present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working hard to ensure that people do not panic over food during the pandemic, and so that there is no shortage of food.
Agriculture Minister Md. Abdur Razzaque was speaking as chief guest at the 'Boro Paddy Harvesting Festival' at Jatrapasha village in Baniachang upazila of Habiganj district on Friday. Baniachang Upazila Administration and Agricultural Extension Department organized the event.
He said, "This time the boro planting has exceeded the target. Rainfall has been a bit less this year, but there will still be good yields. If there is no natural calamity and if Boro paddy from all over the country including wetlands (haors) can be brought home successfully, there will be no food crisis in the country. Food security of the people of the country will be ensured".
Referring to various programmes to increase boro production in the haors, the minister said that, "Only one crop of boro paddy is grown annually on the vast land of the haors. To increase the productivity of this crop, farmers will be given improved varieties of hybrid seed. In addition, due to lack of irrigation in many parts of the haor, the land is fallow or needs irrigation.
A project for digging and re-excavating canals through BADC will be taken up soon to expand irrigation facilities in these places".
Habiganj Deputy Commissioner Ishrat Jahan presided over the function. Local MP Advocate Md. Abu Zahir, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Md. Mesbahul Islam, Chairman of BADC Dr. Amitabh Sarkar, Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension Md. Asadullah, BRRI DG Md. Shahjahan Kabir, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Ullah, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department Habiganj Md. Tamiz Uddin Khan, General Secretary of District Awami League Advocate Alamgir Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.
Later, the Agriculture Minister inaugurated the paddy harvesting at the haor in Baniachong and distributed the combined harvester and reaper among the farmers under the subsidy.
After distributing the equipment, the minister said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a genuine friend of farmers. She is very generously giving various incentives to the farmers. The government is giving Tk 21 lakh of the Tk 28 lakh for the combine harvester.
He said that, "Floods in Haor often destroy paddy. Therefore, machines have been provided to cut the paddy quickly. More will be given in the future, after 2 years there will be no shortage of rice harvesting machines, as many machines as needed will be provided in haors".
Agriculturist Razzaque added that, "Paddy production was good in the last Boro season, but in the Aus-Aman season, production was much lower due to prolonged floods and heavy rains. As a result, the price of paddy was much higher. That is why earlier this year we adopted a comprehensive plan to increase production at any cost. As a result of our various initiatives, Boro paddy has been planted in more than 120,000 hectares of land this year as compared to last year. At the same time, hybrid cultivation has increased in more than 3 lakh hectares of land as compared to last year. It is expected that 9-10 lakh tonnes more boro will be produced this year than last year".
The Agriculture Minister called upon all to come forward to harvest paddy in compliance with the health rules and to cooperate in this regard from their respective positions.
