The government has set aside Tk 17,000 crore to subsidise fertiliser in the 2026-27 financial year, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid told parliament on Wednesday, 11 November, answering a question on the third day of the fourth session, Ittefaq reported.
The question came from Md Rafiqul Islam Khan, MP for Sirajganj-4. He asked how much subsidy had been allocated for urea, DAP and TSP for marginal farmers as world fertiliser prices swing; whether the ministry has special monitoring to stop dealers and hoarders creating artificial shortages and overcharging in the peak season; and whether there is a national plan to distribute fertiliser and certified seed at fair prices directly to farmers through BADC on the strength of digital farmer cards.
The minister said special task forces and mobile courts are working to make sure farmers get fertiliser at the government price. A fertiliser management control room has been opened in the ministry to watch supply, stocks, transport, distribution and retail sales around the clock and to solve problems in the field quickly.
Sixty-four ministry officials have been assigned to strengthen fertiliser monitoring in the 64 districts, he said, and a four-member committee of two joint secretaries and two deputy secretaries is watching the overall fertiliser situation.
He also described the farmer card programme, under which the government plans to build a digital database of farmers and supply fertiliser at fair prices, quality seed and other inputs, along with subsidies and incentives.
At the start of the rabi season, fertiliser prices and supply are among farmers' biggest worries. Whether the subsidy and the monitoring put fertiliser on the dealer's counter at the official price is the test that matters to them.
Photo: LHcheM / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: Ittefaq
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