A recent media report suggested to develop seed companies in the private sector. A high official of the agriculture ministry also welcomed the suggestion. We too feel that the government should create opportunities for private companies. The report said, in the last fiscal year BADC produced only 13 per cent of seeds required in the country and the rest was imported and sold by private companies. The government should create an enabling environment to develop the private sector. But monopoly of the private sector would again jeopardise the development of the agriculture sector. A balance between the private and public sectors is the best choice. The government should review its policy and fix a target to produce and import 50 per cent seeds through BADC, and the remaining 50 per cent may be taken care of by the private sector. BADC produces small quantity of seeds of wheat, corn, potato, pulse, edible oils and spice. It has capacity to produce 80 per cent of these seeds. The farmers are fond of BADC seeds. They opt for other source when they do not get BADC seeds.
To get optimum benefit from the agriculture sector the government should change its policy and opt for producing and importing 50 per cent seeds by BADC and encourage the private sector to produce the rest 50 per cent seeds in the country.
Md Ashraf Hossain
Ramna, Dhaka
Need to change seed policy
FE Team | Published: July 27, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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