Set up cooperatives for marketing agriculture produces: PM

19 April 2010, 18:00 PM

Unb, Dhaka

The government has given great importance to introducing 'cooperative ventures' for marketing the agricultural produce of rural areas, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said yesterday. “Marketing of a product is very much important. You've to set up cooperatives across the country and give the responsibility of marketing to them. This will ensure fair price to the farmers for their produce,” she said addressing the Bangladesh Krishak League leaders at her official residence Gonobhaban. The Krishak League leaders led by its President Dr Mirza Abdul Jalil and General Secretary Motahar Hossain Molla met the PM on the occasion of the founding anniversary of the organisation. Hasina said her government would do everything for the welfare of farmers and agriculture, as Awami League (AL) is a pro-agriculture and pro-farmer political party. “AL is a party of farmers. When this party is in power it means the farmers will get highest support and benefit from the administration.” She said her government wants to make the country self-reliant in food and is working hard in that direction. “But the BNP-led alliance government wanted to make the country food deficit for their personal benefit,” Hasina said, adding that here is the difference in policy between the two parties. She asked the opposition leader why the coarse rice price “shoot up to Tk 45 which was only Tk 10 during my government's tenure from 1996 to 2001. “You have to give an answer to this question,” she said indicating the opposition leader. Hasina said the opposition has tried to increase the rice price but failed due to timely and effective steps of the government. “If AL were not in the power this time the price of coarse rice could be Tk 80 per kg,” she said. The PM said her government has been providing subsidy for the farmers in fertiliser, diesel, power and other agriculture inputs, and also introduced `farmer card' for easy disbursement of subsidy among the real farmers. “We've thrice reduced the price of fertiliser which was Tk 90 per kg and made it Tk 22 at present.” She said: “The previous governments of Zia, Ershad and Khaleda Zia never took such pro-agriculture initiatives before.” She blamed the other governments who were in power for more than 29 years for the present condition of the country. Hasina said her government is working for the socio-economic development of the country. “As the country is heavily dependent on agriculture, we have put utmost importance in this sector,” she said. She emphasised more research works on agriculture as the country could produce diversified agricultural products. In this regard, she mentioned that during her previous tenure as the prime minister she had allocated Tk 12 crore for the purpose. Hasina said her government has also given importance to constructing godowns to preserve food grains, especially rice and paddy. This government is also engaged in making the rural economy vibrant that will ultimately help the country. She asked the Krishak League leaders to work for producing more organic foods, which have huge demand in the foreign markets. Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque also spoke on the occasion.