‘Cultivation of salinity-tolerant jute soon’

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury has said Bangladesh has already discovered salinity-tolerant variety of jute and it will be cultivated in the country very soon.

She made the disclosure while inaugurating the 'Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Agro Tech 2018'at the International Convention City Bashundhara in the city on Thursday.

The two-day'DCCI Agro Tech 2018' was organised by DCCI supported by USAID's Agriculture Value Chain (AVC) Project, said a DCCI press release.

Matia also underscored the need for diversifying the agricultural products to boost their export. "We've regained our past glory of jute and a Bangladeshi scientist has been able to discover the genome sequence of jute and now the IPR of jute is in Bangladesh."

She also urged the private sector to bring diversity in the agro-processing industry.

Mentioning that the use of modern technology, quality seeds and fertiliser and diversification is necessary for developing the agriculture sector, DCCI President Abul Kasem Khan urged the government to give subsidy to the sector.

Science and Technology Secretary Md Anwar Hossain, DCCI Senior Vice President Kamrul Islam, its Vice-President Riyadh Hossain, Directors Engineer Akber Hakim, Andaleeb Hasan, Hossain A Sikder, Humayun Rashid, Imran Ahmed, Kh. Rashedul Ahsan, Mamun Akbar, Mohammad Bashir Uddin, SM Zillur Rahman and Waqar Ahmad Chowdhury, and former Presidents Asif Ibrahim and Md Sabur Khan were present on the occasion.