Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzak on Tuesday said the country may face a food shortage if the farmers in the haor areas cannot harvest Boro paddy timely.
To this effect, the government has taken various initiatives including taking back the laborers under an special arrangement from different parts of the country to harvest the paddy after getting an early flood warning from the district administration and local met office.
The minister made the remarks after visiting a haor area in Netrokona on Tuesday.
The Agriculture Minister said that total target of Boro paddy production in the country is estimated at 20.436 million metric tonnes (2 crore, 4 lacs and 36 thousands) this year.
The haor people harvested some 20 per cent of the total paddy production across the country, he said, adding that the Ministry of Agriculture is working relentlessly with these issues keeping in mind.
The minister also said the farmers will harvest the paddy in line with the health guidelines amid the coronavirus shutdown.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the country would not face food crisis the farmers can harvest the paddy properly this boro season.
