Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday told parliament that the government would actively consider introducing agricultural insurance to protect farmers from adversities.

Responding to Mohammad Giashuddin /Mimed (BNP) during the PM’s question hour, she said the government at the moment had no plans to reduce interest on farm credits.

She said farmers who repay their loan in lime get 2 per cent rebate taking the effective interest rate to 10 to 11 per cent. The present government, alter assuming power, has reduced interest rate on agriculture loan by 1 per cent with effect from November 2001.

Replying to supplementary question from Mazhar Hossain (BNP), Khaleda said the government has plans for the development of land and landless farmers. “Massive programmes have been taken to engage landless and poor

farmers in production process besides agriculture."

Responding to another supplementary from KM Obaidur Rahman (BNP) the prime minister said the government is alert about environment and though use of chemical insecticides and fertilisers had not been stopped, bio-fertiliser had been introduced alongside the chemical inputs.

Massive programmes have been taken to make people aware about the use environment -friendly fertilisers as well as manufacture substitutes for chemical fertilisers in large quantities in phases to make those available to farmers, the PM told parliament.

Replying to another supplementary from Mia Golam Parwar tlamaat), Khaleda said BADC had been restructured to make the organisation dynamic so that it could produce improved varieties of paddy, wheat and maize besides supplying quality seeds.