Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has stressed the need to increase domestic agricultural production to reduce dependence on imports of food and farm products that can be produced in the country.
He made the remarks at a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Agriculture at the Bangladesh Secretariat, said his Deputy Press Secretary Md Suzauddhowla (Sujan Mahmud).
The Prime Minister called for effective measures to increase crop production while ensuring food security and making agriculture more productive and profitable.
He stressed increasing agricultural productivity, reducing farmers’ production costs and ensuring fair prices for their produce.
Tarique Rahman called for gradually reducing imports of agricultural and food products that can be produced locally, with greater emphasis on research, improved crop varieties, modern technology, irrigation and mechanisation.
He also stressed ensuring the quick delivery of improved technologies and varieties to farmers.
The meeting was informed that mustard production, which can help reduce dependence on edible oil imports, has increased significantly. Production rose from 8.24 lakh tonnes in fiscal 2021-22 to 15.34 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 and 15.41 lakh tonnes in 2025-26.
The ministry also outlined measures to increase onion production and storage, including airflow technology at the farmers’ level and expansion of summer onion varieties.
Efforts are also underway to develop crops that can withstand salinity, drought and waterlogging.
The ministry said 1,090 crop varieties, including 155 rice varieties, have been developed through agricultural research. More than 1,000 agricultural technologies have also been developed.
The meeting stressed greater farm mechanisation to reduce labour and production costs and increase productivity. Initiatives are underway to expand locally made farm machinery and provide combine harvesters, reapers and rice transplanters to farmers at affordable prices.
The meeting also discussed expanding solar-powered irrigation. There are currently 2,617 solar irrigation systems in the country, while wider use of renewable energy could reduce irrigation costs and dependence on conventional fuels.
The government’s Farmer Card programme was also discussed as a means of delivering state support directly to farmers. The ministry has set a target of bringing 43 lakh farmers under the programme in fiscal 2026-27, with preparations underway to distribute cards to around 1.10 lakh farmers in the first phase.
Farm mechanisation, solar irrigation, canal excavation, tree plantation, and the storage and marketing of agricultural products were also discussed at the meeting.
