DHAKA, Sept 29, 2021 (BSS) - Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque 
today said that importing rice increases due to various reasons including 
non-human consumption. 

   "Maize is being cultivated in the same place where paddy used to be 
cultivated. At the same time, the non-human consumption of rice has increased 
a lot. The use of rice as fish, poultry, animal feed and starch is increasing 
day by day. With all these, there is a shortage of rice in the country," he 
said. 

   The minister was speaking at the unveiling programme of the book titled 
'Farm Sector of Bangladesh: Prospects and Challenges' at the Bangladesh 
Agricultural Research Council (BARC) auditorium in city's Farmgate area as 
the chief guest. 

   Forum for Information Dissemination on Agriculture (FIDA) and Syngenta 
Bangladesh Ltd organised the event. 

   The population is increasing year by year and the cultivable land is 
decreasing, Razzaque said. 

   Land is being used for cultivation of other crops, he said, adding that 
the country is now producing 60 lakh tons of maize a year, he said. 

   As a result of timely steps taken by the present government, record 
production of rice has been achieved in the country, he said, adding that 
average productivity has also increased. 

   With Forum for Information Dissemination on Agriculture (FIDA)President 
Riaz Ahmad in the chair, the programme was attended, among others, by 
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) Chairman Dr Amitabh 
Sarker, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) Executive Chairman Dr 
Sheikh Md Bakhtiyar, Director General of Department of Agricultural Marketing 
Mohammed Yousuf, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) Director 
General Dr M Nazirul Islam, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) 
Director Monirul Alam and FIDA General Secretary Salahuddin Bablu.