Govt to buy high yield paddy from farmers at higher prices
Economy
The government will buy high yielding paddy – BRRI-89, 92, and BINA-1 – this season, from farmers at higher than current market rates, and will use the procurement in the upcoming growing season, said Agriculture Minister Md Abdur Razzaque.
The minister said the move aims to avert a seed crisis in locally developed paddy types and to encourage more farmers to grow these varieties.
He revealed the plan speaking as chief guest at a workshop at the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC) auditorium in the city, on testing technologies developed under BARC's National Agricultural Technology Program or the NATP Project.
The minister directed scientists, researchers, and others concerned, to popularise locally developed agricultural produce among farmers. The workshop selected 41 technologies developed under NATP for the purpose.
"Recently many technologies and varieties of a number of crops, including paddy, have been developed. The BRRI-89 and BRRI-92 varieties of Boro paddy, developed by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, can yield 1 maund per decimal of land," Minister Razzaque said.
"An early maturing BINA-11 Aman paddy variety has also been developed, making mustard cultivation possible between the Aman and Boro seasons. Salt tolerant paddy varieties have also been developed, making rice cultivation possible in coastal areas," he added.
The agriculture minister said "These varieties and technologies should be disseminated to the field level on a specific action plan."
If necessary, seeds will be given free to farmers using the new crop varieties and cropping patterns, he added.
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