Govt takes Tk 1.65b project to plug seeds shortage

The government has taken a long-term initiative involving Tk 1.65 billion to eradicate deficit of quality seeds to boost up the country's crop production and lessen import dependency.

As part of the five-yearlong move, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) will ensure adequate supply of pulses, oil and spice seeds through creating small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at all 4,500 unions of the country.

MoA will start implementing the project from the upcoming fiscal year, 2018-19, through Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

MoA additional secretary Mosharraf Hossain at a workshop on the project on Sunday said it will help raise agri production by 15-30 per cent with inclusion of apiculture (bee-keeping), which could also ensure environment-friendly farming practices.

He said the project is the third phase of "The pulses, oil and spice seeds production, preservation and distribution at farmers' level" that DAE will start from this July.

DAE organised the workshop at A K M Giasuddin Milky Auditorium in the city's Khamarbari area.

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