Buy more this year
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buy more mangoes and litchis this year and some of these companies have promised to do so.
Razzaque said, “Farmers are not being able to sell their produce. Demand for agricultural products in the market has declined due to the absence of buyers and declining income of people, resulting in wholesalers losing their interest in dealing in agricultural products,” he said.
He also said the fare of fruit-laden vehicles has gone double due to the fear that they will have to return empty.
“Due to all these reasons, most of the produced fruits and vegetables are being perished in the field. Marketing of agricultural products has now become the biggest challenge amid Covid-19 situation,” he said, adding his ministry is working relentlessly to tackle the situation.
Razzaque said seasonal fruits including mango, litchi, pineapple and jackfruit have already started coming in the market. If these seasonal fruits are not marketed properly, the farmers will suffer financially.
The meeting was also attended by former agriculture minister and chief of the parliamentary standing committee on agriculture Matia Chowdhury, food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, State Minister for ICT division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former governor of Bangladesh Bank Atiur Rahman, agriculturistand media personality Shykh Siraj, Bangladesh representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Robert Simpson, among others.
Matia said initiatives should be taken to make the movement of trucks and other transports uninterrupted.
“Fuels of fruit-laden vehicles can be subsidised to reduce fare,” she said.
She also stressed so that farmers get a fair price of their produces.
Sadhan Chandra said at this time when seasonal fruits grow aplenty, steps can be taken to reduce the import of fruits like apples and grapes.nister for ICT division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former governor of Bangladesh Bank, Atiur Rahman, agriculture and media personality, , Shykh Siraj, Bangladesh representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Robert Simpson, among others.
Following detail discussion by the participants, Abdur Razzaque announced the ten-point initiative and recommendations which include ensure smooth movement of traders and others concerned from other districts to the fruit grown areas ensuring their health safety, issue health examination certificates to them if necessary and arrange for safe accommodation.
The senior minister also said free movement of trucks and other vehicles in different parts of the country for transportation of seasonal fruits and agricultural products will be ensured. Besides, it will have to ensure so that fruit laden vehicles do not face any harassment by law enforcement agencies.
He also said BRTC’s trucks will be used to transport and marketing of fruits
Besides, the ministry will take measures to increase the scope of transport of seasonal fruits and agricultural products in parcel trains as well will take initiatives for online sale and small-scale shopping in vans.
The minister informed the meeting that his ministry has requested different organizations including Pran, Acme, BRAC and various local organizations that process agricultural products and manufacture juices, mangoes, pickles, chutneys to buy more mangoes and litchis this year.
“They said they will buy more mangoes this year,” Abdur Razzaque told the meeting.
In his speech, Abdur Razzaque said that currently the impact of the global epidemic corona is adversely affecting the transportation and marketing of agricultural products, including vegetables and seasonal fruits in Bangladesh.
“Farmers are not able to sell their produce. Demand for agricultural products in the market has declined due to absence of buyers in the markets and declining income of the people, resulting in wholesalers losing their interest in purchasing agricultural products,” he said.
Abdur Razzaque also said fare of fruit laden transport has gone double due to the fear that they will have to return empty after the transport of agricultural products.
“Due to all these reasons most of the produced fruits and vegetables are being wasted in the field. Marketing of agricultural products has now become the biggest challenge amid Covid-19 situation,” he also said, adding his ministry is working relentlessly considering these issues very seriously.
Razzaque said seasonal fruits including mango, litchi, pineapple and jackfruit have already started coming in the market. If these seasonal fruits are not marketed properly, the farmers will suffer financially.
Matia Chowdhury said initiatives should be taken to make the movement of trucks and other transports uninterrupted.
“Fuels of fruit laden vehicles can be subsidized to reduce fare,” she said, adding, “There would be no problem in mango marketing if the seasonal fruit could be bought from farmers and then supplied to various government offices including police barracks, army barracks, hospitals and jails.”
She also stressed so that farmers get fair price of their produces.
Sadhan Chandra Majumder said in this time of plenty of seasonal fruits, steps can be taken to reduce the import of fruits like apples and grapes.
Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said the commerce ministry should be involved so that farmers can export their delicious seasonal fruits.