BADC reduces price of Aman paddy seeds

The Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) has sold the Ufshi and the hybrid varieties of Aman seeds at the farmer level respectively at Tk10 and Tk50 less than the stipulated selling price per kilogramme.

The agriculture ministry has said the government is subsidising 19,500 tonnes of Aman paddy seeds by Tk20 crore. That is why the BADC has reduced the price of their seeds.

This is for the first time that the government has provided subsidies to Aman seeds to increase production.

Meanwhile, various incentives, including Aush seeds, Aman seeds, Jute seeds and fertilisers were distributed among farmers. As a result, Aush has been cultivated in over 13.36 lakh hectares of land in the current fiscal year 2020-21.

It is more than the target set at some 13.29 lakh hectares, the Ministry of Agriculture said in a press release.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the production target for this year has been set at over 36.44 lakh tonnes and the Aush production is expected to increase by several lakh tonnes this season. 

In order to increase Aush cultivation, more than 3.83 lakh farmers have been given seeds and fertilisers under agricultural incentives, and over 4.65 lakh farmers have been given agricultural equipment, read the press release.

The ministry said due to the incentives, distribution of free fertilisers and seeds and timely rain, farmers have become more interested in planting Aush paddy in additional areas, which will play a role in maintaining the food supply during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In order to increase the production of Aman, the cultivation of low-yielding varieties has been reduced while the farming of high-yielding Ufshi and hybrid varieties has been expanded.

The government is also taking initiatives to ensure availability of quality seeds, balanced fertilisers, adequate irrigation system, reduction in irrigation costs, the ministry also said.