Agriculture Minister and Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Dr Md Abdur Razzaque has said the prices of agricultural materials, including fertilisers and seeds, will not be increased in the country.
"There will be no increase in the prices of agricultural materials, including fertilisers and seeds, in the country to continue agricultural production and ensure sustainable food security," he said.
The minister said these as the chief guest while addressing the inaugural ceremony of an international conference on food and nutrition security to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries at the BRAC CDM auditorium in Savar upazila of Dhaka, reports BSS.
Bangladesh Agricultural Extension Network (BAEN) and India's Participatory Rural Development Initiatives Society (PRDIS) jointly organised the three-day conference.
About the agricultural production, he said there has been a bumper production of Aman paddy and a record amount of food is in the stock in the country. Therefore, there will be no famine in the country, he added.
He lauded the country's scientists as they have recently developed several improved high-yielding varieties of many crops, including rice and mustard.
He said that the developed varieties and technologies of various crops are reaching the farmers at the field level very slowly.
Razzaque also called upon the agriculture extension workers to work with sincerity and dedication.
PRDIS Senior Advisor Dr V V Sadamate, Daniel Gustafson. Special Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Dr Daniel Gustafson, Country Representative FAO Bangladesh Robert Simpson and BAEN President Hamidur Rahman also spoke , among others, on the occasion.
A total of 350 representatives from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh are participating in the conference.
