Agriculture ministry redetermines fertiliser demand

The Ministry of Agriculture has said the demand for fertiliser will increase this season as Aman paddy is being recultivated after the recent floods destroyed Aman and Aus paddy around the country.

Due to the floods, crops worth around Tk1,300 crore has been damaged across the country.

"The demand for chemical fertilisers has been redetermined for 2020-21 fiscal year according to the need for expanded cultivation. An additional one lakh tonnes of urea and one lakh tonnes of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser will be required, which will be collected on an emergency basis through open competition," reads a press release issued by the ministry on Thursday.

The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation will collect this additional urea fertiliser and the Ministry of Agriculture will collect DAP fertiliser. This fertiliser will play a helpful role in ensuring crop production and food security in the country.

In the current fiscal year, the demand for chemical fertilisers was fixed at 24.5 lakhs tonnes of urea and 13 lakhs tonnes of DAP whereas the revised demand is 25.5 lakhs and 14 lakhs respectively.