‘AL govt always stands by farmers’

Staff Correspondent: Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzak said that Awami League (AL) government always stands by farmers of the country and will continue in future.

The Minister came up with the statement while speaking in a press conference on the government steps over the market price of paddy at his ministry’s auditorium on Thursday.

Abdur Razzak said the government is also considering raising incentives to 25 or 30 percent from 20 percent to encourage rice export.

The government has already increased duty on rice import from 28 percent to 55 percent to discourage import, he added.

Dr Razzaque attributed the recent fall in rice prices to bumper production amid favourable weather, government incentives, excessive rice import and its huge stock.

The minister emphasised mechanisation and modernisation of agriculture sector to make it profitable.

risingbd/Dhaka/May 30, 2019/Asad/AKA