Bangladesh is open to the idea of foreign investment in agriculture, said Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury yesterday.

“We are open to the idea and the private sector has to take the initiative for this. The government can only play the role of a catalyst,” said Matia on conclusion of her five-day visit to India.

Matia said Bangladesh has attained self-sufficiency in horticultural products, especially in potato and onions, in the last three years under the Sheikh Hasina-led government, and has surplus which can be exported.

When asked if Bangladesh could consider exporting the surplus to the neighbouring West Bengal state of India, she said the private sectors on both sides of the border will have to take initiatives and explore the possibility.

Matia said, in the seven years before the current government assumed power Bangladesh did not have self-sufficiency in food, but the present government has achieved self-sufficiency and “is determined to sustain it".

“Farmers of the country have confidence in our government. They know they will not be deprived and that this government is agriculture-friendly,” she said.

Matia said Bangladesh was providing a subsidy of Tk 1,500 crore to farmers annually by way of fertilisers and electricity.

“This is why the farmers did not mind the hike in the price of urea,” she added.

The minister said the main purpose of her visit to India was to increase co-operation between the two countries in the agriculture sector, particularly to tackle the impacts of climate change and fight the adverse effects of salinity on food crops.

Matia visited the eastern Indian state of Orissa to see how it is faring in its attempts to protect crops against saline water.

In response to a question, Matia said there were “hurdles" for India in signing the Teesta river water-sharing treaty, which was conveyed to her during a meeting with the Indian Water Resources Minister, Harish Rawat.

“But they will be overcome," she added, while adding that there was no timeline given for the signing of the accord.

When an Indian journalist asked if Bangladesh was feeling frustrated with India for unfulfilled promises, Matia said: “We don't like to be impatient with a trusted and tested friend, who has helped in such a big way in our historic liberation war."

During her stay at the Indian capital, Matia also had meetings with the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai and National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon.

She left for Dhaka by a Jet Airways flight later on in the afternoon.