No fertiliser shortage, strict action against artificial crisis: Minister

Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid has said the country has no shortage of fertiliser, warning that authorities will take action against dealers who create an artificial crisis and charge farmers higher prices.

The minister made the remarks on Saturday while speaking as the chief guest at a consultation meeting with onion and jute farmers at the Faridpur Sadar Upazila Parishad auditorium.

Regarding the fertiliser supply, Aminur Rashid said the government imports around 1.5 million tonnes more fertiliser than the country’s total requirement and maintains an equivalent quantity as safety stock.

“There is no scope for a fertiliser shortage in the country,” he said.

However, the minister said some unscrupulous traders and vested groups were deliberately trying to create a crisis and keep fertiliser prices high.

He said some retailers claim that fertiliser is unavailable but supply it when farmers agree to pay extra money.

“If we receive complaints that fertiliser is being sold only at higher prices, action will be taken against the concerned dealers,” he warned.

The minister also stressed the need to reduce Bangladesh’s dependence on imported agricultural products.

He said the government was working to produce jute and onion seeds domestically so that the country would not need to import them in the future.

“One of the government’s key objectives in agriculture is to reduce imports of essential agricultural products and meet domestic demand through local production,” he said.

The government also aims to achieve self-sufficiency in producing essential agricultural commodities, including green chilli, ginger and garlic, he added.

“Our goal is to produce agricultural products ourselves and eventually export them instead of depending on imports. Everyone concerned must work hard and make sustained efforts to achieve this goal,” the minister said.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said at the meeting that the BNP government was farmer-friendly.

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“Whenever BNP has come to power, it has worked for the socioeconomic advancement of farmers,” she said.

Faridpur-3 MP Chowdhury Nayab Yusuf, Faridpur-4 MP Md Shahidul Islam Babul, Faridpur-1 MP Professor Dr Md Elias Molla, Department of Agricultural Extension Director General Md Abdur Rahim, Faridpur Police Superintendent Shahriar Mohammad Miaji, District Council Administrator Md Afzal Hossain Khan Palash and other officials attended the meeting.

Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Mazharul Islam chaired the meeting.

Earlier, the minister held a consultation meeting with officials of the Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries and Livestock at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Faridpur.