The government is distributing 5,776 farming machines among farmers across the country in the current fiscal year under the Agricultural Mechanisation Project of the Agriculture Ministry.
The machines include 1,617 combined harvesters, 701 reapers and 184 rice transplanters, according to a handout of the Agriculture Ministry issued on Tuesday.
Of the machines, 510 combined harvesters and 701 reapers are being distributed in the Haor area.
Under the project, more than 51,000 machines of different technology, including combined harvesters, reapers, rice transplanters, power thresher dryers, power weeders, power sprayers, potato diggers and maize sheller will be distributed among the farmers throughout the country by 2025.
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Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Tuesday virtually inaugurated the distribution.
He said the government is providing the farming machines among the farmers at 70 percent subsidised rate in Haor and coastal areas, while 50 percent subsidised prices in other areas of the country under the Agricultural Mechanisation Project involving Tk 3,020 crore.
Noting that the incumbent government has been working for agricultural mechanisation for the last 12 years, he said the agriculture sector of Bangladesh would be as advanced and modern as that of the industrialised countries.
“With this project, a new chapter started in the country’s agriculture. There’ll be a revolution in agricultural mechanisation. The agriculture of Bangladesh will be as advanced and modern as that of the industrialised countries,” said Dr Razzaque.
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He said the present government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is giving utmost importance to agriculture.
“At present, the main goal of the government is to modernise and make agriculture profitable,” he said adding that the government has taken and implemented various initiatives to modernise and make agriculture profitable through mechanisation.
The Minister expressed hope that this project will make agriculture profitable and accelerate the improvement of the living standards of the rural people.
State Minister for Social Welfare Md Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru also spoke on the occasion, joining the virtual function from Netrakona.
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Senior Secretary of Agriculture Ministry Md Mesbahul Islam and other high officials from the ministry and the Department of Agricultural Extension joined the event.
DAE Director General Md Ashadullah said some Tk 5,271 crore will be saved, if the boro paddy of 48 lakh hectares of land can be harvested using machines.