Farmers across Bangladesh are more inclined than ever to cultivate sunflowers as an alternative to traditional paddy crops that do not offer much profit.

Chilli growers in the char years under Bogura’s Sariakandi and Sonatala upazilas are disappointed as they are being forced to sell their produce at a lower price compared to last year.

Bangladesh will be self-sufficient in jute seed production in the next three years, said Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque.

The government’s jute diversification plan is a good initiative but its implementation has been slow due to a lack of technology, skilled manpower and relevant research, according to industry insiders.

Cultivation of early varieties of watermelon on remote shoals in Rangabali upazila of Patuakhali has brought smiles to farmers. Land after land in Jahakmara and Char Kalagacchia areas is now full with the mellow fruits and the growers are also happy getting good prices.

Massive tobacco cultivation is going on in the proposed command area of Barendra Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) at Mahabbat Bazitpara village in Nilphamari Sadar upazila as BMDA is yet to activate full swing irrigation in the concerned project.

Farmers in Dinajpur and Rangpur are spending busy days in their fields to cultivate boro, the largest crop in Bangladesh.

Vegetable production in Bangladesh is growing thanks to the consumers’ growing interest in dietary diversity, availability of quality seeds and prospect of profit for farmers, according to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

The price of onion has been surging in Pabna for the last couple of weeks as the level of stock at the farmers’ end is fast-depleting owing to the lack of storage capacity for the perishable item.

The government has allowed the export of soybean meals on a case-by-case basis, a move that has generated anger among dairy farmers.

Farmers in char areas of Brahmaputra river in Chilmari upazila are spending Tk 83 for a litre diesel to irrigate their boro land instead of the government-fixed rate of Tk 80 enjoyed by mainland farmers.

Farmers are increasingly using Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) to produce crops thanks to increased subsidies and price cuts by the government, enabling growers to apply the fertiliser that contains both the nitrogen and phosphate needed to ensure better plant growth.

Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque has urged the developed countries to establish climate justice to sustain agricultural production and food security by tackling the adverse effects of global warming. 

Last year most farmers of Rangpur had no option but with a heavy heart let tomatoes rot in the fields as prices they were selling for were far from recouping labour and transportation costs.

Climate change can reduce overall rice production by an average of 7.4 percent annually,  while the country faces a loss of around 1.5 percent of GDP due to natural disasters and climate-related hazards, said speakers in a discussion yesterday.

Sunflower cultivation in Rangpur is expanding as farmers in all eight upazilas in the district are opting for the oilseed crop considering its higher profitability compared to tobacco.

Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque yesterday said the government is in a fix over increasing fertiliser prices to manage a huge amount of subsidy.

The government is in a dilemma over hiking the price of fertiliser following the pressure of huge subsidy, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said today.

Farmers living in remote char areas of Brahmaputra river in Kurigram’s Chilmari upazila are buying diesel at Tk 83 instead of Tk 80 a litre.

The government will take all possible steps to harness the potential of seaweed and other marine resources for the development of the blue economy, said Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim.