The farmers throughout the country have been passing hard days being caught in the deadly Covid-19 situation. They are worried as they are not in a position to sell their seasonal fruits including mango in the current season.
Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) Dr Nazirul Islam expressed his opinion to save the farmers and to make up their loss.
Meanwhile, the government had sanctioned subsidy in agriculture of Taka 9,000 crore, incentives for another Taka 8,000 crore and purchasing 8 lakh tones of paddy from the farmers at Taka 26 per kg. Here the fate of the farmers throughout the country should be considered for better interest of the country.
The interview of Bari DG was taken by Delwar Kabir, Roving Correspondent of Bangladesh Post.
When asked about that how much fruits are produced in the country in a year? In reply, Dr Nazirul Islam said that usually the seasonal fruits like mango, litchi, banana, watermelon, pineapple are commercially produced in 23 districts like Chapainawabganj, Panchagarh, Rajshahi, Naogaon, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Meherpur, Satkhira and hill areas of Chattgram.
Recently, some quality varieties of mango is produced in Kotchandpur upazila of Jhenaidah between May and September every year. About 12.88 lakh tones of mango for an amount of Taka 10-12 thousand crore is produced on 41,676 hectares of land.
94,160 tons of litchi were produced in 16,554 hectares of land as per the statistics of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in 2019. He added that the figure of mango production was differed as 22-24 lakh tones according to the Department of Agriculture extension (DAE). The difference of the figure should be minimized for accurate information flow.
Responding to another question about effect of coronavirus on seasonal fruit production and marketing, the BARI DG said that the agriculture sector is marching towards a significant future. But the farmers throughout the country, facing severe crisis of selling the fruits in the market for want of rapid transport system, lack of effective coordination among the farmers, researchers and exporters.
He also said that the Covid-19 had already made a negative impact on fruit export making the farmers compelled to sell the immature and dropped fruits in the local markets at lower prices which even could not regain the minimum production cost anyway. The farmers have been facing troubles to send their seasonal fruits at Dhaka and other places.
Most popular and lucrative mango varieties like Fazli, Himsagar, Lengra, Khirshabhog, BARI Aam 2, BARI Aam 3 and BARI Aam 4 will be available in the market within a few weeks. The farmers are yet to receive the instruction for litchi when the local varieties have almost disappeared in last few weeks.
About solution, he said that establishment of linkages between farmers, traders and exporters could ensure safe quality products for consumers both in local and global markets. A linkage between farmers, workers and traders could identify many exportable products processed products for local and global markets when it is needed.
Farmers could earn maximum by selling their products to the exporters and traders can supply quality products as the production methods and post harvest handlings procedures were given to the producers. Further, only specific items could be allowed and massive entry of foreign fruits would be restricted during the season which affects our local fruits and farmers as well.
Dr Nazirul Islam recommended to maintain Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) during production and harvesting process, ensure adequate and efficient day laborers during harvesting hours, arrange rapid transportation of fruit laden vehicles without hassle on the roads, provide orientation to transport workers, courier service personnel, playing of active role of DAE, Hortex Foundation, importers, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), research organizations, marketing department and other government organs, prepare the district level markets for storage of the immature dropped and mature fruits, encourage major companies to purchase the fruits at a reasonable prices from the farmers, prepare the local supermalls, ensure covered vans, private trucks, BRTC trucks and trains for transporting the seasonal fruits.
The farmers should be brought under incentive coverage for their betterment as well as socio-economic development of the country. Each and every fruit producing farmers should be brought under website coverage as well.
