Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said the ‘Farmers Card will be launch by Pahela Baishakh, the Bengali New Year, in eight to nine upazilas on pilot basis.
“We will be able to start the farmers card by Pahela Baishakh,” he said.
The minister came up with the information while talking to reporters on Wednesday after a meeting at the Secretariat, with the Prime Minister in the chair.
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When asked whether the program would be launched nationwide or as a pilot, the minister clarified that it will begin in pilot form in 8–9 upazilas.
Regarding the benefits of the card, the minister said, “Marginal farmers will receive certain benefits through a family-card-like system. Eventually, the main purpose of the card is to systematically provide farmers with access to production inputs, consumer goods, agricultural land, crops and seed varieties, while ensuring accurate reporting of information to the government.”
Responding to a question over the possibility of distributing free fertilizer and seeds, the minister said such benefits are likely aimed at marginal or very poor farmers, but the topic was not discussed in detail at today’s meeting.