Dhaka: Agriculture Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today assured that the country has sufficient fertilizer in stock to meet national demand until November, emphasizing that there is no immediate risk of shortage. He made this assertion during a press briefing held at the Agriculture Ministry in the Secretariat.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the adviser revealed that the government has already signed agreements with Malaysia to ensure continued imports and is exploring other cost-effective sources to further bolster the supply. Although the government initially faced challenges in repaying fertilizer bills, which affected crop production in five districts, the situation has now stabilized.
Addressing irregularities in fertilizer distribution, Chowdhury announced that dealership licenses acquired through political favoritism will be revoked. Furthermore, any dealers involved in price manipulation or license violations will face cancellation of their dealerships. A revised policy is being introduced to ensure transparency and prevent future misuse. He attributed previous corruption in the fertilizer sector to a dishonest syndicate and said that efforts are underway to bring those responsible to justice. Transparency and accountability in fertilizer procurement have reportedly improved significantly under the current interim government.
On the issue of potato pricing, the adviser noted that farmers are struggling to secure fair prices this season. To address this, the government plans to build 100 cold storages nationwide and is considering selling potatoes under the Open Market Sale (OMS) program. He warned that if farmers continue to receive low prices, they may lose interest in potato cultivation, which could affect future production.
Chowdhury also mentioned that domestic onion production increased this year due to last year's high prices, stabilizing onion prices and eliminating the need for imports. Regarding allegations of irregularities in machinery purchases under various agriculture projects, he confirmed that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is actively investigating the matter.
As part of the government's flood rehabilitation efforts, vegetable seeds are being distributed in several flood-affected districts, including Cumilla, Chandpur, Brahmanbaria, Cox's Bazar, Noakhali, and Feni. Additionally, nearly 33 lakh saplings of various tree species were distributed across the country in the last fiscal year as part of broader agricultural development initiatives.