There is no alternative to boosting crop yields to tackle the possible food crisis caused by Covid-19 pandemic, said Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque.
Therefore, the agriculture ministry has taken initiatives to increase crop production in the Aman and Rabi seasons, he said.
The minister said this while inaugurating through a video conference the distribution of free seeds among farmers by the Bayer CropScience Limited on Wednesday, said a press release issued by the ministry.
The Bayer CropScience Limited is a joint venture between the Bayer Group of Germany and the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC).
The agriculture minister said production targets have been raised and quality seeds are being supplied to increase the production.
Emphasis is being laid on the cultivation of high-yielding varieties by reducing the cultivation of low-yielding varieties, he mentioned.
In order to increase production, the agriculture minister said, it is necessary to popularise the cultivation of high-quality hybrid varieties and ensure an adequate supply of the seeds.
The distribution of free high-yielding hybrid rice seeds among the farmers will play a key role in increasing the production, he observed.
The Bayer CropScience will distribute the hybrid rice seeds and vegetable seeds free of cost to 1 lakh small and marginal farmers.
With the support of the Department of Agricultural Extension, a total of 300 metric tonnes of paddy seeds in 51 districts will be distributed among 50,000 farmers by June and an additional 50,000 farmers by November.
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