Meeting food requirement internally
Friday, 18 July 2008
WHAT choices are left to a country like Bangladesh to go on successfully feeding its vast population, are more and more posing as serious concerns for the policy makers. The concerns have heightened like at no other time in the past for the simple reasons of the rising prices of food grains to unprecedented level recently in international markets. For example, even in a good year, Bangladesh on average imports 2.5 to 3.0 million tons of foodgrains annually. But such imports were possible, feasible or affordable when the price of foodgrains, particularly wheat was substantially lower in international markets. The price of wheat, has rocketed upwards in overseas markets caused by the production of biofuels in the major producing countries particularly by the USA. Apart from wheat, Bangladesh is required to import some quantities of rice to bridge a food gap not met by local production. Rice production worldwide has also been going through a crunch from climatic and other reasons. Traditional rice-exporting countries are unable to export rice and have earlier declared bans or squeezes on their export. The price of rice in international market, therefore, has, as well, shot up which makes rice import not an attractive option for Bangladesh.
The participants in a seminar in the capital city last Wednesday recommended for maintaining a policy of high level of food grain imports by the government and distribution of the same in time at subsidized prices to keep prices stable, on the one hand, and to ward off hunger and famine, on the other. The growing foreign currency reserve of the country is pointed to as the means to make possible such imports without unduly stressing the balance of payments position. For short-term management, the recommendation does certainly merit a serious consideration. But the medium- and long-term solution to the emerging problem of supply shortage lies in steady and determined efforts to boost domestic food production as far as possible. There is no denying that Bangladesh has otherwise a comfortable foreign currency reserve situation. But this reserve will certainly come under a severe strain if very large quantities of rice are needed to be imported at its highest ever recorded price from international markets. Besides, even the assured supply from the overseas sources may not be counted on because of sheer scarcity.
Thus, concerted efforts for boosting local production of rice should draw the priority attention of all concerned. Such efforts do need to be strengthened on all counts. Producing rice and wheat in the country and then marketing of the same involve a relatively lower amount of the costs of buying food grains from international market places and then selling them with high subsidies. Thus, the government will be on the right track if it encourages internal production of food grains, on a vigorous scale. As it is, private importers of food grains would be automatically discouraged in their trade because after buying at the soaring prices in international markets, they would need to pass the high prices to the Bangladeshi consumers. In that case, a great deal of their stocks may remain unsold as a good many of the domestic buyers simply would not be able to pay such prices. Therefore, there is hardly a better alternative than going all-out to boost local production of food grains for gaining in all respects.
The aman rice growing season is about to start. The government and its line agencies need to plan and do a better job than before, in ensuring a very successful aman harvest. Supply of inputs in time and at fair prices to farmers would be indispensable to that end. It was noted that a programme has started in the northern districts to plant a new breed of rice that matures early before flood and drought. It can be planted in the gap between the planting of traditional rice seedlings to get a crop in between the major traditional rice crops. Facilitating the cultivation of it enthusiastically can be an answer to the seasonal food scarcity and hence famine like conditions called 'monga' that grip a part of this region every year.
The participants in a seminar in the capital city last Wednesday recommended for maintaining a policy of high level of food grain imports by the government and distribution of the same in time at subsidized prices to keep prices stable, on the one hand, and to ward off hunger and famine, on the other. The growing foreign currency reserve of the country is pointed to as the means to make possible such imports without unduly stressing the balance of payments position. For short-term management, the recommendation does certainly merit a serious consideration. But the medium- and long-term solution to the emerging problem of supply shortage lies in steady and determined efforts to boost domestic food production as far as possible. There is no denying that Bangladesh has otherwise a comfortable foreign currency reserve situation. But this reserve will certainly come under a severe strain if very large quantities of rice are needed to be imported at its highest ever recorded price from international markets. Besides, even the assured supply from the overseas sources may not be counted on because of sheer scarcity.
Thus, concerted efforts for boosting local production of rice should draw the priority attention of all concerned. Such efforts do need to be strengthened on all counts. Producing rice and wheat in the country and then marketing of the same involve a relatively lower amount of the costs of buying food grains from international market places and then selling them with high subsidies. Thus, the government will be on the right track if it encourages internal production of food grains, on a vigorous scale. As it is, private importers of food grains would be automatically discouraged in their trade because after buying at the soaring prices in international markets, they would need to pass the high prices to the Bangladeshi consumers. In that case, a great deal of their stocks may remain unsold as a good many of the domestic buyers simply would not be able to pay such prices. Therefore, there is hardly a better alternative than going all-out to boost local production of food grains for gaining in all respects.
The aman rice growing season is about to start. The government and its line agencies need to plan and do a better job than before, in ensuring a very successful aman harvest. Supply of inputs in time and at fair prices to farmers would be indispensable to that end. It was noted that a programme has started in the northern districts to plant a new breed of rice that matures early before flood and drought. It can be planted in the gap between the planting of traditional rice seedlings to get a crop in between the major traditional rice crops. Facilitating the cultivation of it enthusiastically can be an answer to the seasonal food scarcity and hence famine like conditions called 'monga' that grip a part of this region every year.