Bangladesh can double rice production

Riding on the comparative advantage and a rising global price trend, resilient Bangladeshi farmers can boost rice production to over 4.0 crore tonnes annually in five years that can fetch at 7.0 crore tonnes in the long run to make the country a leading rice exporter.

Scientists of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) made this projection, which was presented by its member director Hasanur Rahman at a workshop held recently in the city. Hasanur told BSS that a national task force is working to develop a full scheme on the growth model to be presented before a national seminar soon. “We have to reduce and rationalise excess cost and application of inputs for making agriculture commercially competitive and BADC is working to chart out the future course of the country’s agriculture,” Rahman said.

Statistics showed the country’s food production remained stagnant around 2.6 crore tonnes in the recent time mainly because of a sluggish Boro and Aman crop due to a frequent crop failure stemming from floods, droughts and devastating cyclones.

The food requirement, on the other hand, is hovering around 3.0 crore tons annually resulting in a deficiency of 40 lakh tons this year triggering acute supply crisis and price escalation.

But, a bumper Boro harvest this season, has changed the scenario, at least beating back the supply crisis although the price

crisis is yet to be over. Scientists, warned of not to mix both the phenomenon under one bracket. Supply is a productivity phenomenon while price is a market phenomenon, they said stressing on the need for reforming the agricultural market mechanism to make dents on the escalating food prices.

The BADC sources said, the higher rice productivity may be attained by reducing the application of excess agricultural inputs, such as fertiliser, seeds and water to reduce the production cost on one hand and training the farmers in higher productivity on the other.

Source: The New Nation

Mango production may fall by 50pc in Chapainawabganj

Bumper production of mango was expected in Chapainawabganj district as a record amount of buds were found in the trees early in the season despite this being a ‘off -year’ for mangoes, but the production may fall by 50 per cent this session due to unfavorable weather, official of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said.
Production target of mangoes in the district was 250,000 tons, but it is now evident that there will be shortfall of 50 percent, sources said.
According to the scientific officer of Chapainawabganj Mango Research Centre, mangoes have fallen down from the trees and their sizes also became smaller this year due to drought and lack of rainfall.