Economic Reporter :
After allocating Tk 1 billion to provide subsidy to reduce production costs and increase crop yield, the government has allocated more Tk 100 crore in the second phase for buying 1500 agricultural machineries to yield boro paddy.
The government took the decision at a meeting at the conference room of the Ministry of Agriculture at the Secretariat in the capital on Thursday.
Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture issued an order on April 19, outlining that the farmers of Haor region can be given a subsidy of 70 per cent on the purchase of farm machinery while farmers in other regions will receive a 50 per cent subsidy.
The Department of Agricultural Extension will have to spend the allocated funds in light of the relevant policies and financial regulations.
No claim from the previous year can be adjusted from the amount and the department will have to spend the money after checking and confirming all the documents related to the subsidies on equipment, according to the order.
The final audited account has to be submitted to the Finance Division to ensure that the subsidy has been paid following proper rules. The order also said the unspent money should be deposited to the government treasury by June 30.
Under the scheme, the government will offer combine harvesters, reapers and transplanters to farmers and farm equipment renters at a subsidised rate during the ongoing Boro season.
Hasanuzzaman Kallol, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture (Extension), said, “Under the present circumstance, utmost importance has been given to ensure agri-machineries and labour for harvesting boro paddy across the country. Considering the situation, the government has allocated more Tk 1 crore.”
The initiative comes in the face of soaring wages due to a shortage of farm labourers in the peak season of harvest and plantation, causing a loss in the yield of rice. Paddy is cultivated on 71 per cent of the total croplands of 1.54 crore hectares in the country, according to official data.
As per Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the average daily agricultural labour wage remains high during harvesting seasons of aman and boro rice crops, which account for more than 90 per cent of the total annual production of 3.73 crore tonnes of milled rice.
After allocating Tk 1 billion to provide subsidy to reduce production costs and increase crop yield, the government has allocated more Tk 100 crore in the second phase for buying 1500 agricultural machineries to yield boro paddy.
The government took the decision at a meeting at the conference room of the Ministry of Agriculture at the Secretariat in the capital on Thursday.
Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture issued an order on April 19, outlining that the farmers of Haor region can be given a subsidy of 70 per cent on the purchase of farm machinery while farmers in other regions will receive a 50 per cent subsidy.
The Department of Agricultural Extension will have to spend the allocated funds in light of the relevant policies and financial regulations.
No claim from the previous year can be adjusted from the amount and the department will have to spend the money after checking and confirming all the documents related to the subsidies on equipment, according to the order.
The final audited account has to be submitted to the Finance Division to ensure that the subsidy has been paid following proper rules. The order also said the unspent money should be deposited to the government treasury by June 30.
Under the scheme, the government will offer combine harvesters, reapers and transplanters to farmers and farm equipment renters at a subsidised rate during the ongoing Boro season.
Hasanuzzaman Kallol, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture (Extension), said, “Under the present circumstance, utmost importance has been given to ensure agri-machineries and labour for harvesting boro paddy across the country. Considering the situation, the government has allocated more Tk 1 crore.”
The initiative comes in the face of soaring wages due to a shortage of farm labourers in the peak season of harvest and plantation, causing a loss in the yield of rice. Paddy is cultivated on 71 per cent of the total croplands of 1.54 crore hectares in the country, according to official data.
As per Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the average daily agricultural labour wage remains high during harvesting seasons of aman and boro rice crops, which account for more than 90 per cent of the total annual production of 3.73 crore tonnes of milled rice.
