Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Monday said Bangladesh is among the top ten countries in global fruit production. The fruit production rate in Bangladesh increased by 11.5 per cent in a year and the country achieved the second position in jackfruit production, seventh in mango production, eighth in guava, 11th in papaya, he said. Razzaque was speaking at a view-exchange meeting with the journalists on the occasion of National Fruit Fair-2022, held at the Secretariat. Also read: Fruits become costlier despite enough supply during Ramadan A three-day National Fruit Fair-2022 will begin on June 16 at Krishibid Institution in the capital and it will end on June 18, he said. The theme of this year’s National Fruit Fair-2022 is ‘Cultivating fruits round the year ensures money & nutrition’. The fair will remain open from 9 am to 9 pm every day. People can purchase chemical-free fruits from the fair. Currently, Bangladesh is producing 72 varieties of fruit, up from  56 in the previous year, said the minister. In 2008-2009, nearly one crore tonnes of fruits were produced in the country but now it has increased to 1.22 crore tonnes, he said adding the fruit production growth is 22 per cent in the last 12 years.” Mentioning that Bangladesh government is working to ensure safe and nutritious food for all, Razzaque laid importance on cultivation and increase the production of fruit to meet the demand of nutrition. Nowadays, the demand of fruit for an adult person per capita in 200 grams but the available supply of it is 85 grams, he said. Also read: Lalmonirhat man basks in success of dragon fruit cultivation He also urged the fruit growers to produce strawberry, rambutan, dragon and avocado fruits alongside the local variety of fruits. Besides, the authorities concerned are working to expand the cashew nut and coffee cultivation in the hilly and northern parts of the country, he added. In 2020-21 fiscal years, 790 metric tonnes of mango and eight tonnes of litchi were exported and 85% fruits including apple, malta and grapes were also imported in the country, said Razzaque.

The government is preparing a roadmap to boost rice production within two years to meet the increasing demand, said Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Thursday. “This year aus, aman and boro paddy production reached record and government stock is at its highest yet price of rice has remained out of control,” he told journalists at the Secretariat after attending a meeting on increasing cultivation of inbred and super hybrid varieties of paddy to enhance production. He said production has to be accelerated by cultivating very high-yielding inbred and super hybrid varieties to make the grain affordable to low-income people.  Also read: Rice price is increasing beyond control despite having highest stock: Razzaque   The minister said agricultural land is on decline and to increase production the newly invented high-yielding varieties will need to be taken to the field immediately. The government has taken time-bound specific plans to increase aus, aman and boro rice production in the next season and expand their production in hill, haor and adverse areas, said Razzaque. Newly innovated BRRI 89 and BRRI 92 boro varieties can yield around one maund of rice cultivated in a decimal. To take it to fields immediately, a list will be prepared of the farmers who will produce these two varieties and their rice will be purchased as seed at higher prices than the market, he said. To encourage the farmers, seeds of these varieties will be provided free of cost and fertiliser at subsidised rates, he added.  The minister urged Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the Department of Agricultural Extension to create a more reliable statistic on rice demand, production and productivity to remove discrepancy for taking the right decision.    The minister said rice prices in the country are currently rising and unstable as in the global market the prices of food grains have increased. Also read: OMS: Rice to be available at Tk 30 per kg from Thursday Wheat prices which were between $230 to $280 per tonne has now increased to around $450, he said.  “Around 48 lakh tonnes of wheat were imported in the 2020-21 fiscal year but only 16 lakh tonnes were imported until January this fiscal year for its high prices”, he said.  “There are currently 10 lakh Rohingya citizens in the country and every year 22 to 24 lakh new population get added so demand and consumption is on rise hence the rice price is a bit high but there is no food crisis in the country”, said Razzaque.

Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Thursday said Bangladesh must think of new research in agriculture to keep up the pace with the world. 

Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Monday said that the government took different initiatives to reduce the Tk 349 crore damage primarily caused by the flood.

Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque on Friday said agriculture will be mechanised to reduce the high cost of rice production.