Farmers moving away from profession due to low crop prices: experts
Experts at a conference in Rajshahi yesterday suggested speedy mechanisation and commercialisation of agriculture to ensure fair prices of agricultural products in Barind region, one of the country’s crop producing areas, where they observed a trend of decreasing number of agriculture-dependent people due to low prices of crops.
The observations came at the inaugural session of a two-day conference at Rajshahi district Shilpakala Academy. Barind Multipurpose Development Authority organised it.
Addressing the conference as chief guest, Agriculture Minister Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque said mechanisation and commercialisation of agriculture is one of the top priorities of the government, to help farmers reduce cost of production and ensure value of their crops.
“Wait for some time and we will make agriculture profitable,” he said adding that the prime minister has directed the agriculture ministry to use Tk 3,000 crore, the surplus amount of subsidy money for agriculture, for buying agricultural inputs.
Presenting the keynote paper, eminent hydrologist Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan said the number of agriculture-dependent people went down from 45 percent of total population in 2013-14 to 41 percent in 2018-19, suggesting farmers are leaving their profession.
In a multimedia presentation, he showed the region’s drought situation has deteriorated in last 15 years due to decreased rainfall, increasing temperature and other factors.
Comments