Farmers are to pay Tk. 6 more for a kilogram of urea fertilizer effective  Monday, the Agriculture Ministry announced citing price hike in the global markets. In a handout the ministry said that urea fertilizer will now be sold at Tk. 22 per kg, up from Tk. 16 per kg at the farmers’ level. At the dealers’ level the price has been re-fixed at Tk. 20 per kg, up from Tk. 14 per kg. According to the handout, the price of per kilogram of urea fertilizer in the international market is currently Tk 81. Despite the raise in the local market by Tk 6 per kg, the government will have to provide Tk 59 in subsidy per kg. Also read: Govt looks for alternative sources of urea fertilizer: Agri Minister In 2005-2006 fiscal year, the government provided Tk 15 a kg as urea fertilizer subsidy, it said. The price of fertilizer has shot up 3-4 times in the international market and as a result the government’s subsidies on the essential agro inputs rose by four times. In FY2020-21, the government provided Tk 7,717 crore as subsidy in fertilizer while Tk 28,000 in FY2021-22. . Also read: Incessant rains in Kurigram force Boro farmers to go for early harvesting

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday laid the foundation stone of the country’s largest Ghorashal Palash Urea Fertilizer Factory in Narsingdi district with an annual production capacity of nearly 10 lakh metric tons. She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.  Also read: PM wonders why some parties want to oust her government despite massive development works Others concerned were connected with the event from Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) here in the capital and the fertilizer project site in Narsingdi. Besides, the prime minister opened four other development projects, including the newly constructed 14-storey head office Bhaban of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in the city’s Tejgaon industrial area, from the same function. Three other completed projects are ‘Expansion of Madaripur BSCIC Industrial Estate’ under BSCIC, ‘Establishment of Tools Institute’ under Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Center (BITAC), and Establishment of LED light Assembling Plant under the Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation (BSEC). The Tk 10,461-crore  Ghorashal Urea Fertilizer Project is being implemented with the objective of attaining self-sufficiency in urea fertilizer. This will add a daily production of 2.800 metric tons, according to project documents. Currently, two other factories -- Ghorashal Urea Fertiliser factory and Palash Urea Fertiliser Factory -- are annually producing 3.15 lakh metric tons. Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) is implementing the project.  BCIC Chairman Shah Md Imdadul Haque, in his welcome speech, said once the granular fertilizer factory is goes into operation, the import of fertilizer will decline by up to 56 per cent. Bangladesh will require no import of urea fertilizer from 2025, he said. The environment-friendly factory is being set up with the help of Japan and China, said the BCIC chairman. Of the project cost, Tk 1,844.19 crore will come from the government fund while the rest Tk 8,616.72 crore from bidders. Also read: PM Hasina lauds Dhaka-Delhi cooperation on Covid-19 pandemic BSCIC Bhaban: The 14-storey eco-friendly skyscraper for BSCIC Head Office was constructed at the cost of Tk 84 crore in order to ensure a better work environment and bring dynamism in the operation of the corporation. The 126,900-sq feet multi-storied building will house the BSCIC head office, regional office and project offices. Solar system and rainwater harvesting system are there in the modern tower. Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun presided over the function, while State Minister for Industries Kamal Ahmed Mojumder, Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki addressed it.

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday approved seven procurement proposals worth of Tk 474.12 crore including 80,000 metric tons of urea fertilizer at Tk 174.09 crore.