Home ›› 27 Aug 2021 ›› Front
The import of onion seeds and subsequent distribution among farmers spotlight brazen anomalies calling into question import procedure as well as rationale behind using the untested bulb seeds.
The government is handing out high-yielding onion seeds to farmers without subjecting them to testing and field assessment conducive to understanding their efficacy.
Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) recently imported 12 tonnes of onion seeds from India through what it called a direct purchase method through an ‘anonymous’ private agent.
As per the target, the corporation will import another six tonnes of onion seed from India soon. The entire import of seed has so far been made in the name of vegetable and that without import permit (IP).
When it comes to importing seeds, there are certain conditions to be met -- testing, germination rate, adaptability in tropical climate and sowing time. But in this case, nothing of that sort has been taken into account, thereby raising a big question about the efficacy of the bulb roots being termed as seeds.
On the other hand, there has no Letter of Credit (LC) opened in this regard.
For importing seeds, an importer has to obtain import permit from the quarantine wing of the DAE. Only three companies have reportedly got permission in sourcing this summer variety of onion seeds so far.
The Business Post contacted all the three companies that obtained permit. The importers categorically said they did not bring any onion seed, nor did they open any Letter of Credit (LC) in this regard.
Talking to the DAE officials, it was learnt that it won’t take any responsibility about the risk factors
like germination, yield and any other negative impacts on farming relating to the seeds.
“Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation provided us with the summer variety onion seeds and we are just distributing them among farmers,” DAE Director General Md Assadullah told The Business Post.
While digging deep into the matter, the official went to the extent of saying: “We both are government organisations. We have trust in BADC. What they are doing is doing for the good of the country.”
Quizzed, BADC Project Director Jamilur Rahman said: “We imported seeds from India. Our goal is to introduce N53 summer onion seeds here to become self-sufficient in onion production.”
He argued that it is a small amount of seed while the country needs 1,000 tons every year.
The country has no effective and high yielding summer variety onion seeds.
Asked about more in detail about the ghostly import procedure, Jamilur at last admitted that they have been imported as vegetables, not as seeds.
BADC Chairman Amitabh Sarkar and Project Director Jamilur Rahman, however, did not mention which companies they awarded the work order for.
According to experts, the quarantine wing of the DAE should check all conditions provided during issuing import permission. If imported without proper way, seeds may have a set of negative impacts.
Agronomy Professor Parimal Kanti Biswas of Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University told The Business Post any seed variety which is new in the country should be kept insolated after import as there is a possibility of negative impact of those seeds.
The authorities need to examine their impacts on other crops, soil, germination rate and yield at least 2-3 years in field exhibition, he suggested, saying if the seeds seem satisfactory after examination, only then they could be implemented in cultivation.
