A full-fledged expanded programme is in shape for upgrading agriculture sector to offset any possible economic crisis, including food scarcity, amid the pandemic. “Many countries of the world might face famines if any food crisis occurs due to the current Coronavirus epidemic . . . for this, we are taking preparation from now,” said Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzak. Most part of the industrial activities, save garment factories and some jute mills and so, have been at a halt for a countrywide anti-virus lockdown. However, agriculture with its sub-sectors, are open, notwithstanding restrictions largely hindering marketing. Crops fare so well. The minister said farmers have already harvested 80 percent paddy from fields in the haor areas. “As of today (Monday), 80 percent paddy has been harvested in haor areas,” he said while talking to The News Today over phone. He said the government has mobilised an adequate number of workers from different areas to the haor ones to harvest Boro paddy considering the risk of crop damage by any heavy rainfall or flashflood. The minister said now some 309,000 workers, including local ones, are harvesting in haor areas. Besides, some 400 combined harvesters and more than 400 reapers are engaged in the harvesting process there. Though the government has preparations , BR-29 paddy now cannot be harvested there as this variety will take more 6-7 days to ripen, he said. “There w’ll be no problem in harvesting paddy from the plainland even after any rainfall,” said Dr Abdur Razzaque, who is from the agriculture discipline of education and teaching. According to statistics of the Department of Agriculture Extension, Boro paddy was cultivated in 445,399 hectares of land in the haors of seven districts—Kishoreganj, Netrakona, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Sylhet and Brahmanbaria. Razzak said the government has taken programmes of cultivating Aush, Aman, Robi crops, vegetables, potato and other crops. Terming the present government as agriculture-friendly, the minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina always remains beside the farmers in any natural disaster. For this, the government has taken initiative to make the agriculture sector mechanized, and all works, including cultivation and harvesting, will be done with machines. He said machinery and equipment are being brought from abroad for commercialization of the agro-sector and also making it profitable. The agriculture minister mentioned that the government bought only four lakh metric tonnes of rice last year. The Food Ministry has decided to buy 8 lakh metric tonnes of rice this year from marginal farmers through lottery system. He hoped that the farmers would get fair prices of their produce and said the government has taken a project worth Tk 3,200 crore. Razzak said the government has stood beside the farmers during the Coronavirus epidemic. The leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies are harvesting paddy across the country as per the directive of the premier, he added.
