Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque said Bangladesh became self-reliance in food grains production in the last couples of years due to the innovative measures taken by the present government.
“Innovation, modernization and mechanization in agriculture sector uplifted Bangladesh as self-sufficient country in food grains production in the regime of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said this on Saturday while addressing a seminar on the impact of climate change.
The seminar titled “Climate Change: Challenges of Agriculture Sector” organized by the Bangladesh Climate Change Journalist Forum (BCJF) in city’s Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB).
The minister said Bangladeshi scientists are developing different variety crops, which are able to yield successfully overcoming the adverse impacts of climate changes such as salinity, drought and other natural calamities.
Referring to the recent issue of paddy price, he said the government is trying to address the issue of paddy price but there is no scope to minimize it overnight.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is very much concerned about the interest of farmers and that is why the government is sincerely working on it,” said Razzaque.
Responding to a question, he said the government is working to export rice to address the issue of price but it’s not easy as Bangladesh is not a rice exporting country.
Besides, the government, the minister said, could not buy paddy directly from the farmers due to different limitations, especially for shortage of godowns and silos.
“We do not have enough storage capacity and selection of farmers in local level is another complex issue which bars the government to buy paddy directly from farmers,” he added.
PKSF Chairman Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad addressed the seminar as special guest with Engineer A K M A Hamid of IDEB in the chair.
Former Agriculture Secretary Anwar Faruk, Agriculture Information Service Director M Nurul Islam and Journalist Prasun Ashish made keynote presentations. BCJF President Kawsar Rahman moderated the session while its General Secretary Motahar Hossain gave welcome note.
