The government is prioritising the cultivation of high-yielding paddy as occasional floods threaten the crop in haor areas, Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque said Sunday.  “Adequate amount of paddy is collected from haor areas every year which is very essential for food safety but sometimes floods destroy them. We're working to reduce the risks and prioritising cultivation of the high-yielding variety," he said at a Boro paddy collection programme in Shadhor haor of Mithamoin in Kishoreganj.  The government is prioritising paddy varieties that can be harvested 15-20 days earlier than the regular varieties. Combined harvesters and reapers are being provided there urgently considering the shortage of workers, the minister said. In the haor areas, paddy is cultivated once a year. Production should be boosted, Razzaque said adding that scientists have already invented high yielding paddy BRRI Dhan 89, 92. Farmers will be provided high-yielding varieties, he said urging their cultivation.  The work of installing regional Rice Research Institutes is underway for further research to invent more paddy species suitable for haor areas, he said. This year, Boro paddy is being cultivated on 1,66,950 hectares in Kishoreganj. Among them, 1,02,500 hectares are in haor areas. So far 53 percent and 39 percent paddy from haor and outside have been collected in the district. The government targets to produce 7,11,580 metric tonnes of paddy from here.    

 Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Thursday said that the market price of rice is affordable and stable amid the coronavirus pandemic as the government’s paddy and rice collection aim has been fulfilled.

Deputy Commissioner on Tuesday inaugurated the Boro collection with combined harvester machines in Patal Bil area of Sadar upazila.