Agriculture minister Dr Abdur Razzaque has said BRRI dhan98 will play a big role in food security.

He said this while visiting a field of BRRI dhan98 aus rice in Mushuddi village of Dhanbari upazila, Tangail, on the afternoon of Saturday, 19 August.

The agriculture minister said farmland is shrinking day by day while the population is growing. To keep food supplies secure for the 17 crore people of this most densely populated country in the world, the same land must be cropped again and again each year and crop production must rise. Paddy normally takes 140 to 160 days; if it can be grown in 90 to 100 days, that holds great promise. BRRI dhan98 aus has brought that promise: it matures in 90 to 100 days, and the yield is 25 to 30 maunds a bigha. If this variety can be spread across the country, BRRI dhan98 aus will play a big role in food security, he said.

He added that aus rice has now declined greatly in the country because of the lack of improved varieties and the risks of drought, flood and heavy rain, while boro and aman cultivation has grown. Meanwhile, our scientists have developed short-duration improved aus varieties. BRRI dhan98 is showing great promise in the field. If this variety can be made popular at field level, aus will again become a major crop in the country, and as a profitable crop it will widen farmers' smiles, he said.

Mahamudul Hasan, additional deputy director (horticulture) of the district Department of Agricultural Extension, other agriculture department officials and local Awami League leaders were present.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.