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Aftab eyes hybrid deal with China firm

Sohel Parvez
Aftab Bahumukhi Farms Ltd is in talks with a Chinese company, Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture, to form a joint venture to develop parent lines of hybrid rice seeds in Bangladesh.
The move, Aftab says, has been initiated to develop its capacity to produce hybrid rice seeds here.
Industry stakeholders said the initiative by the local seed company would, if successful, help transfer production technology and reduce import dependency.
“We are in the process to have a joint venture with a Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture Company. We are at the initial stage of discussion, but we are hopeful of having a joint venture here,” Shah Habibul Haque, director of Aftab, told The Daily Star.
Aftab, a subsidiary of Islam Group, is now producing hybrid seeds in Bangladesh by
importing foundation seeds from Yuan Longping and marketing four types of hybrid rice seedunderthebrand'LP'.
The Aftab official said the company would not have to depend on importing foundation seeds after the completion ofthe deal.
A high-powered team from Yaun Longping will come to Dhaka in December to explore the possibilities of carving out a joint venture.
Bangladesh Rice Research
Institute (BRRI) and BRAC have so far been able to release three varieties of hybrid rice seed such as BRRI Hybrid-1. BRRI Hybrid-2 and Shakti of BRAC on their own, said an official with the agriculture ministry.
But none ofthe private com-panies has yet to develop any variety of their own. Local seed companies rather depend on imports.
A steady surge in the prices of rice on the global market also prompted the government
to encourage hybrid cultivation despite opposition from green campaigners.
During the last boro season, the area for hybrid rice cultivation more than doubled to about 10 lakh hectares from about 3.9 lakh hectares in the previous season.
“We have taken the initiative to develop parent lines as demand for hybrid rice seeds will continue to rise,” said Haque, director of Aftab.
Anwar Faruque, director general of the Seed Wing of the agriculture ministry, said the government encourages such moves to develop capacity of local seed companies. "It will help us become self-sufficient in seed production.”
Dr Abdur Razzaq, former chairman of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council, also praised such initiatives saying that an increase in production of hybrid seeds will also result in a decline in seed prices.
sohel@thedailystar.net