Agriculture minister: Govt to export 1 - 1.5 million ton rice

[Homo Sapiens]

Agriculture minister: Govt to export 1-1.5m ton rice
Tribune Desk

• Published at 07:29 pm May 30th, 2019

Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzak Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune


The decision aims to save farmers from losses.

Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque yesterday said that the government has decided to export 1–1.5 million tons of rice, aiming to ensure fair prices to farmers.

He disclosed the decision, while speaking at a press conference held at the ministry’s auditorium, discussing the government's steps to counter the low market price of paddy, reports UNB.

The minister said the government is also considering raising incentives to 25% or 30% from the present 20% to encourage rice exports.

"The government has already increased the duty on foreign rice from 28% to 55% to discourage imports," he added.

He emphasized on mechanization and modernization of the agriculture sector to make it more profitable.

The decision comes following widespread protest by farmers about the falling price of paddy in Bangladesh.

Farmers have been counting about Tk300 in losses per maund as paddy prices this year fell drastically.

While protesting in Dhaka, paddy farmers claimed they would be forced to stop growing the crop if the situation persisted.

Agriculture Minister Razzaque attributed the recent fall in rice prices to bumper production amid favourable weather, government incentives, and excessive rice imports.

https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangla...lture-minister-govt-to-export-1-1-5m-ton-rice

 

[Abu Shaleh Rumi]

We can grow surplus rice even without using modern agriculture techs! WOW...

 

[Black_cats]

We can grow surplus rice even without using modern agriculture techs! WOW...

How’s your brother @Mahmud I

 

[Homo Sapiens]

We can grow surplus rice even without using modern agriculture techs! WOW...

And after feeding 170 million people. Look at the geographic size of Bangladesh. Isn't it amazing?

Those foreigners who judge Bangladesh by looking at map, should take note. They have a habit of comparing Bangladesh with their single province. But Bangladesh's geographic size is deceptive. It's capacity to sustain population, generating economic activities in per unit of area are much higher than any other country.

 

[bluesky]

After feeding 170 million people. Look at the geographic size of Bangladesh. Isn't it amazing?

Those foreigners who judge Bangladesh by looking at map, should take note. They have a habit of comparing Bangladesh with their single province. But Bangladesh's geographic size is deceptive. It's capacity to sustain population, generating economic activities in per unit of area are much higher than other countries.

BD agriculture yield is very low compared to those of Japan, South Korea or Taiwan. Its acreage is much high, so the product total is also high. BD is 85% flat with 77,642 sq.km. of farmland. To know about the yield with Japan, please read the excerpt below:

"The most striking feature of Japanese agriculture is the shortage of farmland. The 49,000 sq.km under cultivation constituted just 13.2% of the total land area in 1988. However, the land is intensively cultivated".

This 13.2% of arable land consisting of only 49,000 sq.km. that feeds 126 million people here. In comparison, (77,640 x 2 seasons) = 150,000 sq.km. feeds 160 million people in BD. Note that the cold climate there causes only one paddy season in Japan. Whereas, a sunny country BD has two paddy seasons.

It means BD paddyland is essentially 150,000 sq.km. and Japan's only 49,000 sq.km. Yield in South Korea and Taiwan is also very high after Japan introduced its agriculture seed and technology there in the around early 1900s.

Without a good variety of seeds and home-made agricultural machines, we have a long way to go to achieve parity with these highly developed countries.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

BD agriculture yield is very low compared to those of Japan, South Korea or Taiwan. Its acreage is much high, so the product total is also high. BD is 85% flat with 77,642 sq.km. of farmland. To know about the yield with Japan, please read the excerpt below:

"The most striking feature of Japanese agriculture is the shortage of farmland. The 49,000 sq.km under cultivation constituted just 13.2% of the total land area in 1988. However, the land is intensively cultivated".

This 13.2% of arable land consisting of only 49,000 sq.km. that feeds 126 million people here. In comparison, (77,640 x 2 seasons) = 150,000 sq.km. feeds 160 million people in BD. Note that the cold climate there causes only one paddy season in Japan. Whereas, a sunny country BD has two paddy seasons.

It means BD paddyland is essentially 150,000 sq.km. and Japan's only 49,000 sq.km. Yield in South Korea and Taiwan is also very high after Japan introduced its agriculture seed and technology there in the around early 1900s.

Without a good variety of seeds and home-made agricultural machines, we have a long way to go to achieve parity with these highly developed countries.

And 3 crop per year land is increasing rapidly in Bangladesh. Our crop intensity is around 200 percent now. That means a lot of land is giving 3 crop per year as large acreage of land in BD still giving only 1 crop. In some districts like Sunamganj, a large percentage of land is still giving just 1 crop per year due to lack of irrigation infrastructure or flood control. If those infrastructure deficit can be removed, our agricultural production can be increased substantially by converting 1 cropped land into 2 or 3 cropped land.

 

[Abu Shaleh Rumi]

How’s your brother @Mahmud I

No comment...

Without a good variety of seeds and home-made agricultural machines, we have a long way to go to achieve parity with these highly developed countries.

You are 100% correct bhai.

BTW, take a look at our Alim Industries product portfolio. Bangladeshs most trusted agriculture machinery maker with R&D capabilities...

 

[bluesky]

Alim Industries product

Good to know about this company making various farm machines although a list of products and volume of the production are not available. The govt should find ways how to patronize it so that the farmers get attracted to its products. Quality and after-sales service are needed to attract customers. It means, the company should build its own service centers wherever its products are sold.

I could not find the pictures of Tractor and power tillers. Type-based product volumes are also not available. But, it is a good start.

And 3 crop per year land is increasing rapidly in Bangladesh. Our crop intensity is around 200 percent now. That means a lot of land is giving 3 crop per year as large acreage of land in BD still giving only 1 crop.

However, as far as I understand too many crops in one single year deletes the land of the necessary vitality that requires too much of chemical fertilizer which itself is bad.

Farmlands must be given rest by tilting the land to make the soil remain upside down for a few months to strengthen its vitality. So, a maximum of two crops is better than three crops. On the contrary, the YIELD should be raised.

 

[bluesky]

I wonder where this minister wants to sell the surplus? As far as I know, all the countries of the world are self-sufficient in staple food. Some countries in Africa are in distress because of terrorism and rice is not popular there. Yemenis might love rice but it must go through UN Missions. Indirect or direct BD export there will only create ire of SA. So, which countries are the market for rice?

Usually, the govt collects the surplus rice in the season to be sold off-season. But, watching what people are talking, the bonafide GoB will first construct many warehouses before it can buy and stockpile. So, I do not really understand this export process.

How about asking organizations like UNCHR to buy the surplus rice from BD govt and distribute among the Rohingyas?

 

[Nike]

I wonder where this minister wants to sell the surplus? As far as I know, all the countries of the world are self-sufficient in staple food. Some countries in Africa are in distress because of terrorism and rice is not popular there. Yemenis might love rice but it must go through UN Missions. Indirect or direct BD export there will only create ire of SA. So, which countries are the market for rice?

Usually, the govt collects the surplus rice in the season to be sold off-season. But, watching what people are talking, the bonafide GoB will first construct many warehouses before it can buy and stockpile. So, I do not really understand this export process.

How about asking organizations like UNCHR to buy the surplus rice from BD govt and distribute among the Rohingyas?

Indonesia like to stockpile other countries rice surplus, eventhough we self sufficient in rice production

 

[UKBengali]

Indonesia like to stockpile other countries rice surplus, eventhough we self sufficient in rice production

What do you do with it?

 

[Nike]

What do you do with it?

To Stabilize price

 

[jetray]

Good to know about this company making various farm machines although a list of products and volume of the production are not available. The govt should find ways how to patronize it so that the farmers get attracted to its products. Quality and after-sales service are needed to attract customers. It means, the company should build its own service centers wherever its products are sold.

I could not find the pictures of Tractor and power tillers. Type-based product volumes are also not available. But, it is a good start.

Most of the farms in south asia are smaller in size typically like an acre or half. It will be very expensive/non-profitable for small farmers to utilize farm vehicles. One of the solution is to move towards co-operative farming.

You are also missing the fact that agricultural sector provides employment to lot many ppl. Large scale use of farm vehicles will simply leave them unemployed. There is no easy solution.

However, as far as I understand too many crops in one single year deletes the land of the necessary vitality that requires too much of chemical fertilizer which itself is bad.

Farmlands must be given rest by tilting the land to make the soil remain upside down for a few months to strengthen its vitality. So, a maximum of two crops is better than three crops. On the contrary, the YIELD should be raised.

You are mostly right but there one advantage BD has in form of brahmaputra. The river brings in silt during floods which has lot of nutrients. Well managed farms along the banks of river can really be used for farming throughout the year with less breaks.

 

[bluesky]

Most of the farms in south asia are smaller in size typically like an acre or half. It will be very expensive/non-profitable for small farmers to utilize farm vehicles. One of the solution is to move towards co-operative farming.

You are also missing the fact that agricultural sector provides employment to lot many ppl. Large scale use of farm vehicles will simply leave them unemployed. There is no easy solution.

However, in the case of Bangladesh mechanization (tilting by tractors only) of farms are already complete and the issue at hand is the machines are imported instead of local ones. Now, a few companies are already producing some smaller equipment is good. But, BD must produce its 2W power tillers and 4W tractors by itself.

We have already a shortage of farm labor in the countryside, may not be in all the places but in many places. Labor cost has shot up as a result and the price of rice as a consequence.

You are mostly right but there one advantage BD has in form of brahmaputra. The river brings in silt during floods which has lot of nutrients. Well managed farms along the banks of river can really be used for farming throughout the year with less breaks.

Nowadays, unlike in the past, the flooding is more due to local rainfall. I have seen dikes along smaller rivers which are constructed without water gates to flood the nearby lands that cause siltation of land. So, the soil is losing the strength which is balanced with the overuse of fertilizer/pesticide. This raises the price of rice. So, it is imperative that the yield rises and the acreage falls that will lower the cost of products.

 

[bluesky]

@jetray, in the picture below people are doing manual during harvest. So, mechanization is needed to lower the cost of products. Instead of manual, a mode of motorized transport is needed. Mechanization must continue. The unemployment created in the farms is more than compensated in the factories and construction. Total production goes up, people's earnings as well.

Modern civilization is based on the mechanized production of everything. This is how a country's economy grows. The alternative method is to reduce the population. But, it is not possible.