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Govt focuses on rice to dodge crisis

Star Business Report
The government has targeted production of 3.30 crore tonnes of rice for fiscal 2009-10 to achieve food autarky in times ofcrisis.
The target is 8.19 percent higher than the amount of rice produced last fiscal, when the output stood at 3.05 crore tonnes, officials said yesterday.
To realise the goal, the agriculture ministry has taken steps to bring fallow lands under cultivation by introducing small irrigation projects, ensuring boro rice cultivation in the south and developing various rice seed varieties that are capable of resisting salinity, drought and flood.
Other steps include crop zoning, surface water irrigation and reclamation of cultivable land in waterlogged areas, Agriculture Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed told a press conference.
“Our food production usually remains close to mere self-sufficient levels. But attaining autarky becomes difficult in case of losses due to natural disasters like cyclones and floods," said Ahmed.
“For food, a poor country like ours is more vulnerable than rich countries. That is why we have taken steps to ensure production of crops,” he said.
The agriculture ministry organised the press meet to share the government’s initiatives to observe the World Food Day today that calls for 'achieving food security in times of crisis'.
The government has taken up various programmes such as rallies, fairs, meetings and seminars to create awareness among farmers to continue efforts to produce more, so that the country can meet demand during the days of crisis.
“In times of crisis, we may not be able to buy food despite having the funds to do so. That is why we arranged programmes to prompt farmers to continue increasing food production," Mustaq said.
Al the end of 2007 and early 2008, when Bangladesh was ravaged by recurrent floods and the cyclone Sidr, the country encountered deficits in staple food output.
Procuring food from international market also became difficult as leading rice producing countries imposed restrictions on exports in the wake of a global production shortfall.
Bangladesh, with a population of about 15 crore, however emerged from the problem because of good output in the two biggest crops - boro and aman latter in 2008.
Production of boro in the last harvest season of 2009 stood at 1.85 crore tonnes, 2.77 percent higher than the target.
“We are also expecting favourable aman output this season,” said the agriculture secretary.
He, however, said Bangladesh needs to continue efforts to raise production and agricultural growth to meet the increasing needs in the backdrop of decliningland and risingpopulation.
Mustaq said the government emphasises vertical expansion of agriculture and development of stress-tolerant rice seed varieties to resist the effects of changing climate.