As the government remains clueless about the continued rise in rice prices, the plan to draw a roadmap early to raise the output of the main staple appears timely. Agriculture Minister Dr AbdurRazzque, speaking at a meeting in Dhaka late last week, disclosed the plan to prepare the roadmap for boosting rice output substantially within a couple of years. Introducing super hybrid rice varieties and expanding rice cultivation in haors, hilly areas and coastal belts, according to the minister, will be vital elements of the proposed roadmap.
One can hardly miss the sense of urgency in the minister's statement. An unabated rise in rice prices for months together has negated the claim about attaining self-sufficiency in food production. The government also has been facing widespread criticism. It, until now, has not come up with a suitable answer to a few questions on the issue.
The country has got a bumper harvest of all rice crops---Aus, Aman and Boro--- this year, the food department's silos are also storing a record quantity of food grains. The persistent uptrend in rice prices in such a situation has baffled many. A section of people blames the millers for the rise in rice prices. There may be some truth in such blaming, but it is hard to ignore some other developments. Paddy is costlier now at the growers' level, in contrast to the situation two to three years back, mainly because of the rising costs of farm inputs. The government subsidises the farm inputs, but that may not be enough.
Amidst a confusing situation centring on the rice prices, it may not be inappropriate to raise doubt about data relevant to the demand for, and supply of rice in the country. For ensuring food security, the government must know the demand for, and domestic production of, food grains first. Thus, getting reliable data on the size of the population and domestic production of food grains is of utmost importance. There is a lacking in the compilation and processing of data. The agricultural minister himself admitted to not having quality data from the field level despite the presence of at least three officials at the field level.
Undeniably, there exists a significant gap in the demand for, and supply of, rice and it is essential to narrow it. Import of the item remains an obvious choice. But boosting domestic production within the shortest possible time should be the priority. Domestic production of rice has more than tripled over the last four decades. The widespread production of high-yielding varieties alongside the application of a modern farming method has made it possible.
The prospect of raising rice output by a notable margin with the existing production practices remains very limited. Introducing 'super' rice varieties, coupled with the use of the latest farm practices, could be the game-changer. It took many years to motivate the farmers to take up HYV rice. Time, however, has changed. The farming community is far more receptive to modern technology than before, yet the government will have to toil hard at the grassroots to get results within a reasonable time.