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Hope for rice self-sufficiency

Sohel Parvez
It was the homegrown rice that Bangladeshis mostly relied on in 2009. And the country imported less than before.
Rice production hit a record at more titan three crore tonnes this year, three times higher than in 1971.
This has helped Bangladesh head towards self-sufficiency, bringing down rice imports this year.
"It's a major achievement. We were free from import dependency in 2001 and 1991," said Mahabub Hossain, an analyst on agriculture and rural economy and executive director of nongovernmental organisation Brae.
Encouraged by high price last year, farmers brought Boro rice output to a historic high of 1.781 crore tonnes in the immediate past season in mid-2009.
This enabled Bangladesh to remain relatively safe from the rebound of prices of rice on the global market in thesecond halfof2009.
A cut in fertiliser and diesel prices and a favourable weather provided much of the impetus to yield a record Boro crop.
But the failure to receive a better price dismayed many farmers, the reflection of which was seen in the fall in Aus output later this year.
“It's a lesson for us. The farmers care more about their profits and losses now,” said Hossain.
Cultivation of Aman, the second biggest crop, suffered from drought, late arrival of monsoon and pest attacks, and now emanates a fear of production shortfall.
However, the government has dispelled the speculation about a decline in Aman output claiming that acreage exceeded target and some new areas came under cultivation. A free irrigation facility in transplantation phase also helped redeem Aman output. Prices of paddy are on the rebound.
Aman harvest is yet to be complete, while preparation for next Boro to attain a target of 1.90 crore tonnes is on.
Many farmers are likely to go for late transplantation of Boro after planting potato. A section of farmers may switch to maize to reap profits.
Despite a low yield than that of another high yielding variety BR-29, some farmers show interests in BR-28 as it allows them to grow another crop such as potato before entering Boro plantation.
Sales of hybrid rice seeds, which give around one tonne higher yield each hectare than the high yielding varieties, also remained slack.
It means hybrid rice cultivation is likely to drop, which will ultimately hurt the goal of getting 1.90 crore tonnes of rice.
Also a lack of water recharge in aquifer, the source of deep tube well- and shallow tube wellbased irrigation under which Boro plantation in the upland depends much, adds to the fear.
Experts said underground water-based irrigation covers more than 75 percent of total Boro cultivation area.
Already the farmers in some areas in the Barind tract under Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts have started to suffer as irrigation machines cannot pump up water properly due to a drop in the underground water level.
“It's a critical factor. Lack of water recharge in aquifer may affect irrigation," Hossain said.
"The government should go for faster expansion of water-saving technology," he said, referring to Alternate Wetting and Drying, which helps save more than 20 percen t water for irrigation.
Even after al) the downside risks for the next Boro season. Bangladesh's agriculture and farmers have a lot to celebrate -- timely reduction in fertiliser and diesel prices, increased availability of fertiliser, agricultural input cards and enhanced finance from banks.
One of the major achievements is the formation of a Tk 500 crore fund to provide collateral-free credit to sharecroppers.
This is for the first time the sharecroppers were given access to finance from banks.
“This is a landmark move," says Uttam Deb, head of research at Centre for Policy Dialogue, an independent research organisation.
Other initiatives such as agricultural input cards to be given to 1.82 crore farmers from early next year will bring transparency and efficiency in distribution of inputs, he said.
But one of the limitations was inadequate storage capacity in government warehouses, which in turn, forced many farmers, mainly small and marginal ones, to sell Boro paddy to traders below the government-fixed price.
“In terms of price, we didn't give proper attention to the farmers this year," said Hossain of Brae.
"For 2010, the government should take steps to ensure a fair price of agricultural produce.” sohel@thedailystar.net