Bangladesh should achieve self-sufficiency tn food as soon as possible because the inter national rice market is getting volatile

This was observed by the chief of the Social Sciences Division of the International Rice Research Institute I IRRI I Manila. Philippines Mabbub Hossain, while giving an inter view with The Daily Star in the city on Thursday

He emphasised the need lor formulating an Integrated agricultural policy in order to give importance to non c rop agricultural activities like dairy, poultry and fish-farming,

Hossain said only four per cent of world rice production is traded which is very little in comparison to other grains "We should not relv more than 10 per cent on the interna tional market for rice because its price fluctuates frequently, he added

The climate of rice-producing countries is almost the same. So. if there is Hood In China, there may be another flood in Bangladesh. India or

Vietnam So. failure of rice harvest in these countnes may occur at the same time which could put the producing roun tries in a difficult situation c Tea ting rice scarcity

Hossain, a Bangladeshi eco nomist. said the government could consider giving subsidies to the subsistent farmers The price of urea fertilizer is reasonable The government could think of subsidising the Phos phate and Potassium fertills ers lie said adding subsidy has some problems

Subsidy establishes gov eminent control over the supply of soil nutrients. IRRI official opined It will Ik- better to ensure availability of urea during the peak season than to give II at subsidised price But the government could sub sidise Phosphate and Potas sium fertilizers because the prices of these soil nutrients were increasing beyond the purchasing power of the farm ers

Hossain said the soil of

Bangladesh is lacking micro nutrient* with every passing dav It should Ie studied and addressed carefully

He said IRRI has developed a I Iv Breed rice It is an im proved variety over High Yield Ing Varieties (HYVs) Bangla desh Rice Research Institute IBRRII is carrying on applied research which might take three years after which BRRJ could market the Hy Breed rice, he added

"It will Increase the yield by 20 per rent. Hossain said adding India and Vietnam are already applying the new vari etv

The IRRI economist said Hy Breed could be applied In the districts of Bogra Comilla and Natore where the use of HYVs has already exhausted

He said IRRIs Gene Bank has preserved about 4.000 tra ditlonal rice varieties of Bangladesh of which some of the varieties could be developed The characteristic* of the laal varieties are that they can even survive in flood or in drought situation ' Hossain

said IRRI was trying to em power these varieties with some qualities of HYVs. that is increasing the yield shorten Ing the crop harvest period

Another Super Rice” Is also In the pipeline at IRRI laboratory which might arrive In the market after some five years, the economist said

He said, the super rice will almost double the yield Originated In Indonesia, the super rice is now being developed for eac h of the rice-producing countries

Hossain said an Integrated agricultural policy will help develop this sector In a planned way "Our earlier piece meal policies were biased to wards food grain production

For food self sufficiency. Hossain suggested that a per feet coordination between agricultural extension workers and central level policy makers should be established He also put emphasis on work ethics of the high official at the cen tral level