Beef up monitoring to check fertiliser supply manipulation: Razzaque

Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque on Tuesday asked the field-level officials of the ministry to beef up monitoring and supervision so that none can manipulate price and distribution of fertiliser at farmers-level.

"We've to check any sort of attempt to manipulate the distribution and price of fertiliser strictly. As fertiliser is the major input for crops cultivation, any shortage of fertiliser or manipulation of its price can hamper crops production and thus image of the government will be affected," said Dr Razzaque while speaking at a review meeting of the ministry's Annual Development Programme. 

Production of crops depends on fertiliser supply and it is also closely associated with the image of the government, he said, adding that if crops production is hampered, the people's suffering will mount that will ultimately affect image of the government.

Razzaque said the country has adequate stock of fertiliser. Although fertiliser price has increased three times in the international market, the government would not increase its price, he said, adding that filed-level officials of the ministry must remain alert so that none can manipulate the fertilizer price on the pretext of rising global market price. 

The minister asked the project directors to implement ADP projects properly. Agriculture ministry has 70 under implementation ADP projects involving a total of Tk 2, 981 crore in the current fiscal year (FY22) and implementation progress of these projects is 16.28 per cent. 

Agriculture ministry's additional secretary Dr Md Abdur Rouf conducted the review meeting while high officials and project directors of the ministry were present.