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The Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Mohammad Emdadullah Mian, announced that the agricultural sector managed to save Tk 4,000 crore over the past year by curbing corruption and waste in development projects.
He further declared that Bangladesh aims to achieve self-sufficiency in onion and ginger production, halting imports of both commodities within the next three years.
He made these statements on Thursday (November 27), at a seminar titled ‘Agricultural Transformation: Locally Adapted Farm Machinery and Agricultural Export Challenges,’ held at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka, organized by the Bangladesh Agricultural Journalists Forum (BAJF).
Dr. Emdadullah elaborated on the financial discipline enforced by the government, which has led to a remarkable reduction in project corruption and waste:
He confirmed that Tk 4,000 crore was saved last year through these measures. Tk 2,500 crore was returned to the treasury by mitigating corruption in various projects.
This year alone, Tk 1,000 crore has been saved in fertilizer costs, he said.
Citing a specific example, he stated that Tk 600 crore allocated for a mechanization project was returned to the government, and the project was successfully completed with an expenditure of just Tk 20 crore.
The Agriculture Secretary stressed the importance of protecting farmers' interests, asserting that a farmer-friendly agricultural economy cannot be built without ensuring fair prices for their produce.
Dr. Mian also announced that a 25-year long-term plan is being developed to ensure the overall development and modernization of the country's agricultural sector, with the final draft expected to be ready by December.
Addressing public criticism over onion prices, he expressed dismay that while a price of Tk 100 for other vegetables is generally accepted, the same price for onions generates significant controversy.
He posed the question: "Shouldn't the farmer get a fair price for onions?" He also expressed anguish over reported incidents of farmers committing suicide due to low potato prices, urging the government to step up for the proper valuation of farmers' efforts.
During the seminar, the keynote paper presenter, Dr. K M Saiful Islam, Project Director for Mechanized Rice Cultivation at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), emphasized the realization of ‘Made in Bangladesh’ in agricultural mechanization. He noted that local production of quality farm machinery, supported by technological cooperation from countries like Sri Lanka and Japan, is taking shape.
However, Durul Huda, Chief Scientific Officer at BRRI, highlighted the main obstacles to realizing this vision:
The major impediment to producing sophisticated farm machinery like combine harvesters and rice transplanters is the inefficiency and infrastructural weakness of the light engineering sector.
He lamented that even after 54 years of independence, no state-owned engine manufacturing institution has been established in the country.
Kamruzzaman Kamal, Director (Marketing) of PRAN-RFL Group, pointed out the vast potential in the global agro-processing market (valued at $4 trillion), where Bangladesh’s share is currently only $1 billion.
He demanded the implementation of a ‘One-Stop Service’ to eliminate the complexity of securing approval from 18 different departments for agricultural exports. He also cited the lack of internationally standardized quality control laboratories as a major constraint.
Mohammad Arifur Rahman, Project Director for Exportable Mango Production, noted that mango exports have tripled over the last five years, with imports dropping to zero. He stressed that high air freight costs and the inability to secure guaranteed space on flights are hindering further export growth, advocating for dedicated space allocation for agricultural produce on aircraft.
In his presidential address, BAJF President Shahanowar Sayed Shahin stressed that a political commitment is crucial for protecting the interests of farmers and agriculture. He urged all political parties to include clear and long-term strategies on agriculture in their election manifestos.
Other speakers underscored the objective of transforming farming into a profitable, educated, and dignified profession. Md. Fazlul Kader, Managing Director of PKSF, highlighted the crucial role of the MFI (Microfinance Institution) sector, which currently accounts for approximately 85 percent of the total agricultural financing in Bangladesh.