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DHAKA, Aug 19,2026 (BSS)- Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid has said the government is working to reduce agro-products import in phases through improving production and infrastructural facilities.

“The country will gradually come out of agro-products import by increasing farm production, enhancing preservation facilities and using updated technology”, he said.
The agriculture minister said this while talking to the journalists at his ministry’s conference room. 

The minister expressed his satisfaction over the success of the ministry in the first 180 days of the present government.

Regarding the fertilizer situation in the country, he said the country has no fertilizer crisis now as excessive fertilizer remains in stock.

At present, the country has more stock of fertilizer compare to the last year. So, those are trying to create confusion over artificial fertilizer crisis is nothing but a part of a conspiracy. 

Highlighting the development of agriculture sector and government’s different progress target, Aminur Rashid said the government will distribute Farmers Card gradually among 3.50 lakh to 4 lakh farmers every month as the government already has prepared database of nearly 14 lakh farmers under the pilot project.

About the achievement of tree plantation target across the country Rashid said 24.18 lakh tree saplings were planted in the last six months against the target of 25 lakh.

At the same time, canal excavation of 475.61 KMs out of targeted 478.09 KMs has already has completed, he said. 

Pointing to onion production and preservation, the agriculture minister said the country so far did not import onion due to improving onion preservation facilities.

Earlier, onion was decomposed due to lack of preservation facilities, but now the onion can be preserved for at least six months due to development of preservation facilities. 
 
In upcoming season, the country will enhance infrastructural facilities for preserving at least 3 lakh tonnes on onion.

As an agro-based country, the main target of the government is to curb agro-products import in future, the minister said adding initiative is underway to enhance production along with improving preservation facilities.

The minister said initiative has been taken to reduce import dependency of jute seed, onion seed and ginger gradually.

Elaborating about enhancing food production and other technological innovation, the minister said cultivation of a new paddy variety-‘BRRI-118’ will be started from the next year. The variety will be possible to plant at least 10-15 days ahead of the conventional period of plantation in the haor region.

So, the variety will play significant role in protecting the crop from the flash floods.

To reduce exorbitant crop production cost, the minister said the government is planning to bring all irrigation pumps under solar power as the irrigation pumps driven by diesel is a major concern behind the enhancing crop production cost.

Agriculture secretary M Selim Khan was present at the programme.