DHAKA : Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid has said the country has no shortage of fertilizer and warned of tougher punitive action against those who try to create an artificial shortage of fertilizer.

"Strict and exemplary action will be taken against those who try to create an artificial fertilizer crisis by selling it at a higher price than the government-fixed price," he said.

The minister told the journalists while visiting different agricultural organizations under the agriculture ministry at Joydebpur in Gazipur on Tuesday.

The country has adequate fertilizer stocks, while sufficient supplies are in the pipeline, he said, adding that rumors about a fertilizer shortage being spread is totally baseless.

However, he said, complaints have been received that several dishonest persons are allegedly trying to create an artificial fertilizer crisis by selling it at prices higher than the government-fixed price.

The government remains alert on this issue as the fertilizer supply and sale will be strictly monitored.
 
"Any evil attempt to create an artificial crisis of this essential agricultural input will be treated strictly," the minister warned.

"There is no reason to raise the price of any commodity irrationally if there is no supply shortage of that particular item. But we have to unearth the reason why fertilizer prices are skyrocketing while there is ample supply of the commodity in the market," he said.

The minister urged all the concerned departments and agencies to work more actively and carefully to control the market situation of the daily essentials including the agricultural commodities.

Speaking about research, the agriculture minister said research should not merely be routine work, but it [research] should be timely and based on people's needs.

Praising the role of the agricultural research organizations, the minister said the agricultural research organizations have already developed many new varieties and technologies which are actually beneficial for the farmers as well as for the common people.

Noting that the monsoon flood is a reality of the country, Aminur Rashid said the flash floods particularly cause a huge crop loss for the farmers in the haor region.

To mitigate the crisis, he said, instructions were given to the researchers to discover new flood-tolerant rice varieties to cope with such catastrophes in the haor region.

A new flood-resistant rice variety already has been developed in the country, he said, adding that a total of 30 tonnes of seed of the newly invented BRRI-118 will be distributed among the farmers in the haor areas next season.

The cultivation of the newly developed flood-resistant variety will help the farmers to harvest rice earlier than before beginning rainy season and flash flood, the minister hoped.

This breakthrough will help to protect the farmers from the crop loss caused by flash floods.

Underscoring the need for establishing agricultural products as major export items, the agriculture minister said the country needs to raise farm productivity along with ensuring modern packaging, preservation, processing and quality control of the products.

About the export of the agro commodities, he said the country's export capacity will be further strengthened by introducing international-standard packaging systems.

Agriculture Secretary Dr Rafiqul I Mohamed also was present.

Later, the minister participated in views-exchange meetings with different agricultural organizations and an internal research review workshop of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute as the chief guest.