PM directs to reduce import dependence and increase agricultural production

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has stressed reducing import dependence on agricultural and food products that can be produced in the country and increasing local production. He directed officials of the Agriculture Ministry to take effective measures to increase production of agricultural products, reduce farmers’ costs and ensure food security.

The prime minister walked from his office at the Secretariat to the Agriculture Ministry on Sunday afternoon (September 13). He later discussed the current situation of the agriculture sector, ongoing activities and future plans with officials at a meeting in the ministry’s conference room. The prime minister went to the conference room of the ministry by stairs without using the lift.

At the meeting the Agriculture Ministry informed that mustard production in the country has been increased to reduce dependence on edible oil imports. Mustard production was 8.24 lakh metric tonnes in the 2021-22 fiscal year, which rose to 15.34 lakh metric tonnes in 2024-25 and reached 15.41 lakh metric tonnes in 2025-26.

Detailed information was also presented at the meeting on increasing onion production and storage capacity. Initiatives have been taken to store onion at the farmers’ level through air-flow technology and expand cultivation of summer onion. Work is also under way to expand various crop varieties tolerant to salinity, drought and waterlogging at the field level.

Highlighting progress in agricultural research, the ministry said 1,090 varieties of different crops have been developed. Of these, there are 155 varieties of rice. Information on the invention of more than one thousand agricultural technologies was also presented at the meeting. Alongside giving importance to farm mechanisation to reduce production costs and labour and increase productivity, initiatives to supply modern machines including combine harvesters, reapers and rice transplanters to farmers at affordable prices were informed.

Increasing the use of renewable energy in agriculture also came up for discussion. At present there are 2,617 solar-powered irrigation systems in the country. Expanding the scope of solar power-based irrigation will reduce farmers’ irrigation costs and dependence on conventional fuel, it was observed at the meeting.

In addition, progress of the ‘Farmers’ Card’ programme to bring farmers under direct government support was also presented. The Agriculture Ministry has set a target of bringing 43 lakh farmers under this programme in the 2026-27 fiscal year. Preparation is under way to provide cards to about 1 lakh 10 thousand farmers in the first phase.

Canal digging, tree plantation, storage and marketing of agricultural products were also discussed at the meeting. The prime minister stressed increasing agricultural productivity as well as reducing farmers’ production costs and ensuring fair prices for the produced goods. He said import dependence on agricultural and food products that can be produced in the country must be gradually reduced and research, improved varieties, modern technology, irrigation and mechanisation facilities must be delivered to farmers quickly.