Business Desk :
Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions imposed on Moscow have affected the commodity prices in Bangladesh to some extent, said Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque.
The minister said this responding to a query from media after a meeting with Qu Dongyu, secretary general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Razzaque said the commodity prices have already risen in the international market due to the impact of the war and it has affected the commodity prices in the country to some extent.
“We now have maximum stocks of food grains. Crop production is also good. Besides, new rice will come from April 15. So, after all, we won’t have any major problem,” he said adding that there will be no food crisis in the country.
FAO will work to increase investment in Bangladesh’s agriculture
Talking about the outcome of the meeting with Qu Dongyu, the minister said the FAO chief assured that they will work to increase investment in the development of agriculture in Bangladesh.
The FAO will also host an investment summit next October where they will encourage other international development and donor agencies to invest in the development of Bangladesh’s agricultural sector and the transformation of the agro-food system, he said. The FAO secretary general also said that they will invite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the investment summit.
At the same time, the agriculture minister said, “We need international investment for the development of the agriculture sector. We want to develop an irrigation system.
“We are going to expand the newly invented crop varieties in the coastal saline areas. We want to increase the cultivation of high-value crops in hilly areas. Besides, we want to add value and export by processing agricultural products.
