PM Urges Reducing Import Dependence, Boosting Agricultural Production

Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman has emphasized gradually reducing dependence on imports of agricultural and food products that can be produced domestically, while increasing local production. For this, he has directed that the benefits of research, improved varieties, modern technology, irrigation and agricultural mechanization be delivered quickly to farmers.

On Sunday afternoon, the Prime Minister walked from his own office at the Secretariat to the Ministry of Agriculture. He later held a meeting with officials in the ministry’s conference room, where the overall situation of the agriculture sector, ongoing activities and future plans were presented.

At the meeting, the Ministry of Agriculture informed that mustard production is being increased domestically to reduce dependence on edible oil imports. Mustard production stood at 8.24 lakh metric tons in fiscal year 2021 to 2022, rising to 15.34 lakh metric tons in fiscal year 2024 to 2025 and reaching 15.41 lakh metric tons in fiscal year 2025 to 2026.

Various initiatives to increase onion production and storage capacity were also presented at the meeting. Initiatives have been taken to use air flow technology for onion storage at the farmer level and to expand summer onion varieties. Alongside this, efforts are underway to spread new crop varieties tolerant to salinity, drought and waterlogging at the field level.

Highlighting progress in agricultural research, the ministry said a total of 1,090 varieties of various crops have been developed, including 155 rice varieties. Information on more than one thousand agricultural technology innovations was also presented at the meeting.

The meeting discussed placing greater emphasis on agricultural mechanization to reduce labor and cost while increasing productivity in agricultural production. Alongside increasing the innovation and production of domestic agricultural machinery, initiatives to deliver combine harvesters, reapers, rice transplanters and other machinery to farmers at affordable prices were also mentioned.

Expanding the use of solar power in agriculture also received importance at the meeting. There are currently 2,617 solar irrigation systems in the country. The meeting discussed that expanding renewable energy based irrigation could reduce farmers’ irrigation costs and dependence on conventional fuel.

Progress on the Farmer Card program, aimed at delivering government support directly to farmers, was also presented. The Ministry of Agriculture has set a target of bringing 4.3 million farmers under the card program in fiscal year 2026 to 2027, with preparations underway to distribute cards to about 110,000 farmers in the first phase.

The meeting also discussed agricultural mechanization, solar irrigation, canal excavation, tree plantation, and the storage and marketing of agricultural products. The Prime Minister directed concerned officials to focus on increasing agricultural productivity while reducing farmers’ production costs and ensuring fair prices for their produce.

The Prime Minister said that dependence on imports must be gradually reduced for agricultural and food products that can be produced domestically. For this, domestic production must be increased by quickly delivering the benefits of research, improved varieties, modern technology, irrigation and mechanization to farmers.