Government boosts farmers, livestock, fisheries, and agricultural exports.
Fisheries and Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid today said the government will establish local-level processing and packaging centres to ensure fair prices for livestock products and protect farmers from financial losses,
"Farmers often suffer losses as they fail to get fair prices for their produce. Effective measures must therefore be taken at every stage, from production to processing, packaging and marketing," he said.
He made the remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of a two-day training session for beneficiaries of the Integrated Livestock Development Project for riverine char areas under Manikganj, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Madaripur, and Shariatpur districts, held at the Gazaria Upazila Parishad Auditorium.
Aminur Rashid assured that there would be no shortage of fertilizer in the country, saying sufficient stocks were available. He warned that attempts to create an artificial fertilizer crisis would not be tolerated.
He said the government would take necessary steps to ensure timely supplies of agricultural inputs according to farmers' demands.
The minister stressed the importance of maintaining accurate government data on agricultural production to facilitate advance planning for crop land, fertilizer and seed requirements and market demand.
"If production and input requirements are recorded through farmer cards, the distribution of agricultural inputs, including fertilizer and seeds, can be made more efficient," he said.
The minister said around 75 percent of the country's population is directly or indirectly engaged in agriculture. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, he added, the government is prioritizing farmers' welfare and working to strengthen the rural economy.
Highlighting the importance of fisheries conservation, the minister said sanctuaries would be established in public water bodies in different districts.
These sanctuaries would provide safe habitats for fish during the dry season and support breeding during the monsoon, he said, stressing the need for local cooperation to make the initiative successful.
He reiterated the government's goal of turning Bangladesh into an agricultural exporter rather than an importer by increasing production and ensuring quality, storage, processing and effective marketing.
Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner Syeda Nurmahal Ashrafi presided over the programme.
Munshiganj-3 MP Md Kamruzzaman, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Md Delwar Hossain, Director General of the Department of Livestock Services Md Shahjaman Khan and Director General of the Department of Fisheries Dr Md Khaled Konak were present as special guests.
Project Director Dr Md Abdur Rahim delivered the welcome address.
At the programme, 25 heifers and cattle feed were distributed among 25 beneficiaries, while 500 saplings of improved varieties were handed over to 100 farmers.
Later, the minister released 286 kilograms of carp fingerlings into a canal connected to the Phuldi River.
