For greater rice production
Monday, 1 February 2010
Every year, the country is seen losing nearly 80 thousand hectares of arable lands due to river erosion, building of houses and infrastructures. Thus, one per cent of arable lands is getting lost annually when the demand for food is rising at a rate of 1.4 per cent annually from population growth and other factors. There is a mismatch already and this will only worsen in the years to come if vigorous steps are not taken from now to go on increasing food grain production.
According to experts, Bangladesh can attain a major increase in its food grain production immediately by only expanding the use of the higher yielding varieties of seeds. Only 20 per cent of the farmlands are now covered by high yielding seeds. If the rate of use of such seeds can be extended by 60 per cent from the present rate, then it would be possible to produce an additional 30 million tons of rice.
The challenge would be producing the increased quantities of the higher yielding seeds and distributing these efficiently to the farmers. The total demand for paddy seeds is 0.3 million metric tons. But the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) supplies 80 thousand metric tons and the rest of the 20 per cent of such seeds now used, are supplied by the private sector. Thus, both the BADC and the private sector will have to engage in time-bound hard activities to increase production of higher yielding seeds and to ensure their efficient distribution to farmers. BADC is expected to take the lead role in this area.
Mamunur Rashid
Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymemshing
According to experts, Bangladesh can attain a major increase in its food grain production immediately by only expanding the use of the higher yielding varieties of seeds. Only 20 per cent of the farmlands are now covered by high yielding seeds. If the rate of use of such seeds can be extended by 60 per cent from the present rate, then it would be possible to produce an additional 30 million tons of rice.
The challenge would be producing the increased quantities of the higher yielding seeds and distributing these efficiently to the farmers. The total demand for paddy seeds is 0.3 million metric tons. But the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) supplies 80 thousand metric tons and the rest of the 20 per cent of such seeds now used, are supplied by the private sector. Thus, both the BADC and the private sector will have to engage in time-bound hard activities to increase production of higher yielding seeds and to ensure their efficient distribution to farmers. BADC is expected to take the lead role in this area.
Mamunur Rashid
Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymemshing