Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Wednesday said that price of Urea fertilizer in the local market will be readjusted in line with rate in international market.

The hike in Urea price by Tk 6 per kilogram won’t have any impacts on food production in the country, he said.

Razzaque said these while talking to reporters before attending a workshop in Barishal city.

“The government has been emphasizing on the balanced use of Urea fertilizer for a very long time. Farmers have a tendency to use Urea excessively. The DAP fertilizer contains 18 percent of ingredients found in Urea. That’s why we’ve reduced the price of DAP fertilizer to increase its use instead of Urea,” Razzaque said.

Razzaque also said the government hopes that use of Urea will decrease due to price hike.

Read: Bangladesh is mechanizing agriculture to boost harvest: Razzaque

“Price of Urea in the global market is Tk 81 per kg. The additional price which has been fixed by the government is very nominal. After the hike, prices of Urea will be Tk 20 per kg at the dealer level and Tk 22 per kg at the farmer level, which are still very low compared to the international market,” added Razzaque.

Replying to another question, the Minister said that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is trying to reap benefit from the global crisis.

“The people of Bangladesh are conscious and realistic. They haven’t forgotten the misrule, plundering and corruption that BNP leaders committed during their tenure. No matter how much they try,  people will keep supporting the Awami League (AL) as it’s the only people-centric political party of the country,” said Razzaque.

The workshop was presided over by Md Sayedul Islam, Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry.

Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, Mayor of Barishal City Corporation (BCC), Shahjahan Kabir, Director of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and Benojir Alam, Director General (DG) of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), among others, were present at the workshop.