Bangladesh News

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury yesterday warned the seed companies not to sell low quality seed to farmers.

“Do business, make profit. I am with you. But if you cheat farmers, I will make the name of your company public and ask the farmers not to buy seed from the fraudulent company,” she said during the inaugural ceremony of Bangladesh Seed Conference and Fair 2010.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Bangladesh Seed Association jointly organized the event styled “Promoting Cooperation in Seed for Regional Food Security” at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

Referring to a company that sold low quality seed this Boro season, Matia said, “If this happens again I will make its name public so that farmers no more buy seed from that company.”

Calling upon the private companies to invest on research and development of genetically engineered crops, the agriculture minister said, “It is you who will make profit once you develop high quality seeds.”

Matia said regional cooperation in sharing seeds could greatly help ensure food security. It is imperative that the South Asian nations consider the issue from the farmers’ perspective to feed the people of the region, which frequently suffers from floods, drought and salinity.

The government is trying to strike a balance between farmers’ fair price and consumers’ purchasing capacity, she said, adding that commodity prices doubled after the Awami League government’s tenure in 2001, but none could bring it down.

“We have done it,” she claimed.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said it was of immense importance that the south Asian nations work together to strengthen food security. Ensuring quality seeds through regional cooperation could greatly help achieve the goal.

Making Saarc Food Bank effective is very important too, she observed.

Additional Secretary of the agriculture ministry Anwar Faruque in his keynote presentation said only up to 30 percent seed in South Asia is of standard quality, while it is below 18 percent in Bangladesh.

“We can ensure adequate production of crops by making sure that 60 percent seed is of standard quality,” he said.

Saarc Seed Forum

An ad hoc Saarc Seed Forum was constituted with Anwar Faruque as its convener. It will work to establish a full-fledged autonomous Saarc Seed Forum to promote sustainable development of seed system in the region so that farmers of one country can reap the benefit from the innovation of other countries.

Director of Saarc Agriculture Centre Rafiqul Islam Mondal proclaimed the purpose of the forum at the programme.

Agriculture Secretary CQK Mustaq, Food and Agriculture Organisation Bangladesh Representative Ad Spijkers, Malavika Dadlani, head of India’s Division of Seed Science and Technology and BSA President Mahboob Anam also spoke at the programme.