Plea to strengthen BADC to ensure availability of seeds at low costs

FE Report | Published: April 07, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Farmers and their representatives at a seminar Sunday urged for strengthening the state-run Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) to ensure availability of seeds at low costs.
They said the BADC has to be the key market player in the seed distribution and marketing process to save the farmers from 'oppression' of the multinational companies (MNCs).
They were speaking at the seminar titled "Agriculture and Farmer Friendly Budget: Public-Private Sector in Seed Management" jointly organised by Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Bangladesh Bhoomiheen Samity, Bangladesh Federation of Agri-farm Labourers, Labour Resource Centre, Kendrio Krishok Moitri, Bangladesh Kishani Shova and COAST at the National Press Club in the city.
COAST director Mustafa Kamal Akanda coordinated the seminar while A K M Jahangir Hossain MP, Krishok Dal secretary Shamsuzzaman Dudu, additional secretary of the ministry of agriculture Anwar Faruk, Oxfam-Asia representative Ziaul Huq Muqta and Unnayan Dhara Trust director Aminur Rasul Babul spoke as discussants.
COAST senior researcher Mujibul Haque Munir presented the keynote paper.
The paper revealed that dependence on MNCs and local private seed companies is increasing day by day which is risky for seed security of the country.
It said farmers are now totally dependent on MNCs and private companies for vegetable seeds, jute seeds, and maize seeds while 50 per cent of rice seed is now marketed by the private seed companies.
"BADC, the public institute for agriculture which has been successfully contributing to the agricultural development since the liberation, should be capacitated more to get out of this situation," the paper said.
The paper also criticised the government move for cultivating Bt Brinjal despite finding health hazardous elements in the crop.
"BADC should have the authority to monitor this kind of seed marketing," the paper said.
Speaking on the occasion Ziaul Huq Mukta said, "No agricultural product should be imported that can threaten our own crop production. The imported crops should be well managed by tariff and other customs rules so that our growers of the same crops could be benefited."
"More allocation in the upcoming budget should be made for agricultural research and invention of our own seeds. A Price Commission could be introduced in the country so that the proper price is ensured for the small-scale farmers," he added.
Anwar Faruk pointed out that the main problem of the country's agriculture is that farmers are not getting fair price of their crops.
"We should develop a value chain for their crops and a preservation system for surplus production," he said.
A K M Jahangir Hossain said, "The subsidy in agriculture is a kind of investment. If we spend money here, it will return by many times through the agricultural production."
He also pointed out that many BADC warehouses at the district level are unused which should be made to function properly.