Photo: Collected

DHAKA, July 21, 2025 (BSS) - Agriculture Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today said the country has sufficient fertilizer in stock to meet national demand till November, assuring that there is no immediate risk of shortage.

He made the remarks at a press briefing held at the Agriculture Ministry in the Secretariat.

The adviser said the government has already signed agreements with Malaysia to ensure continued imports and is exploring other cost-effective sources to strengthen supply further. 

He noted that while the government initially faced difficulties in repaying fertilizer bills and crop production was affected in five districts, the situation has now stabilized.

Addressing irregularities in fertilizer distribution, the adviser announced that dealership licenses obtained through political favoritism will be cancelled. 

He added that any dealers involved in price manipulation or license violations will have their dealership revoked, and a revised policy is being introduced to ensure transparency and prevent future abuse. 

Jahangir Alam Chowdhury blamed a dishonest syndicate for earlier corruption in the fertilizer sector and said efforts are underway to bring those responsible to justice. 

According to him, transparency and accountability in fertilizer procurement have already improved significantly under the current interim government.

Turning to the issue of potato pricing, the adviser said that farmers are struggling to get fair prices this season. To address this, the government is planning to build 100 cold storages across the country and is considering selling potatoes under the Open Market Sale (OMS) program. He stressed that if farmers continue to receive low prices, they may lose interest in potato cultivation, which could impact future production.

The adviser also said domestic production increased this year in response to last year's high prices. As a result, onion prices have remained stable and there has been no need for imports. On allegations of irregularities in machinery purchases under various agriculture projects, he said that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is actively investigating the matter.

As part of the government's flood rehabilitation efforts, he said vegetable seeds are being distributed in several flood-affected districts, including Cumilla, Chandpur, Brahmanbaria, Cox's Bazar, Noakhali, and Feni. Additionally, nearly 33 lakh saplings of various tree species were distributed across the country in the last fiscal year as part of broader agricultural development initiatives.