Tlicgovenimeiit will increase rebate on power tariff for agro-based industries to 20 percent from die present 15 percent from July 1.

Besides, exports of agro-based products will also receive 20-25 percent subsidy.

A high-powered committee with State Minister for Agriculture Mirza Fakrul Islam Alamgir has been formed to devise ways of granting subsidy on fertiliser.

According to a finance ministry circular, 13 types of agro-based industries will gel die new power tariff rebate. These are: fruit by-

product industries, processed canned fruit industry, mushroom and spirulina processing industry, milk processing industry, |x>tato byproduct industry, aromatic rice industry and spice packingindustry, salt, pulses, coconut oil, poultry feed, fish feed, seed processing industry and silk industry.

The finance ministry will directly give the subsidy to different power authorides for selling electricity at subsidised rates. The money will come from die Tk 600 crore agriculture subsidy allocation in the budget.

"We want to make our agriculture products competitive in the

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international market," Finance Minister Saifur Rahman told the press yesterday. "That is why we are planning to subsidise agro-based product exports."

"We have declared this fiscal year as the agriculture year. The Youth Development Directorate will make a list of persons who have been given training in agro-based industry," he added. "According to that list, they will get loans from banks for setting up agro-based industries."