DHAKA, Oct 3, 2017 (BSS) – The government will provide free seeds and fertilizers to some 7.76 lakh flood affected small and marginal farmers of six haor and 18 mid-northern districts of the country by spending an outlay of Taka 137 crore under agriculture rehabilitation programme in the upcoming boro season.
“A total of 7,76,202 small and marginal farmers of flood affected six haor and 18 mid-northern districts will get necessary seeds of different crops along with non-urea fertilizers under the rehabilitation programme to compensate their crop loss due to the prolonged deluge,” said Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury in a press briefing at her secretariat office here today.
Under the programme, some 6 lakh farmers of six haor districts like Sylhet, Sunamganj, Hobiganj, Moulvibazar, Netrokona and Kishorganj will get seeds, di-amonium phosphate (DAP)and Muriate of Potash (MoP) fertilizers worth of Taka 117 crore and Taka 1,000 in cash for cultivating crops on a bigha of land.
Besides this, another some 1,76,202 small and marginal farmers of 18 flood affected mid-northern districts will get free wheat, maize, mustard, peanuts, khesari, vegetable, boro rice seeds and DAPand MoP fertilizers with an amount of nearly Taka 20 crore during the robi season for cultivating a bigha of land.
In haor areas, each one of 6 lakh farmers will get 5kg boro rice seed along with 20 kg DAP, 10 kg MoP and Taka 1,000 in cash for cultivating a bigha of land, said the minister in her address, saying that “the agriculture rehabilitation programme in the six haor districts will bring six lakh bighas or 80,162 hectares of land under cultivation and produce nearly 3.25 lakh metric ton rice.”
Of 1,76,202 flood affected farmers in 18 districts—each 19,000 small and marginal farmers will get 20 kg wheat seed along with 20 kg DAP and 10 kg MoP for a bigha of land, each 18,000 farmers will get 2 kg Maize seed along with 20 kg DAP and 10 kg MoP, each 50,802 farmers will get 1 kg mustard seed along with 20 kg DAP and 10 kg MoP,
Each one of 2,000 farmers will get 15 kg peanuts seeds along with 5 kg DAP and 10 kg MoP fertilizer, each 4,400 farmers will get 8 kg khesari seeds along with 10 kg DAP and MoP and 82,000 farmers will get 5kg boro rice seed along with 20 kg DAP and 10 kg MoP fertilizer for cultivating a bigha of land under the programme.
The 18 flood affected districts are Naogaon, Kurigram, Jamalpur, Dinajpur, Bogra, Tangail, Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Natore, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Thakurgaon, Lalmonirhat, Panchagarh, Joypurhat, Sherpur and B-Baria.
Earlier, the government had announced Taka 58.75 crore as incentive for 5,41,201 small and marginal farmers of 64 districts for cultivating by providing necessary seeds and non-urea fertilizers for cultivating 10 crops on abigha of land.
Senior ministry officials, head of different organizations including Agriculture Secretary Mainuddin Abdullah, among others, were present during the press briefing.