Shamiran Biswas

In the current financial year, the allocation for the agriculture sector was 33 thousand 698 crores which is 4.97 percent of the total budget. In the next financial year, 35 thousand 374 crore rupees have been allocated to the agriculture sector, which is 4.64 percent of the total budget. Despite the increase in the amount of money for the next financial year, the allocation of the agricultural sector has decreased by 33 percent.

In the new financial year, there is a plan to bring two crore farmers under the agricultural input assistance card, even though the subsidy in the agricultural sector has been increased. The budget also plans to give smart cards to all farmers.

Apart from this, the allocation of 51 thousand 300 agricultural implements with 70 percent support for Haor area farmers and 50 percent support for other area farmers has been determined in the budget. The budget proposal has proposed exemption of advance tax on import of all types of agricultural machinery. A cashew nut production and processing factory will be built in the mountainous region of Bangladesh. It is proposed to keep the tariff rate unchanged on import of agricultural inputs including fertilizers seeds pesticides.

Agriculture chief in Bangladesh to save agriculture and farmers - production should be increased. For this purpose, the government is working to ensure the use of cheap fertilizers, pesticides, innovation of new varieties and technology. The finance minister said that this sector is being given utmost importance to build a food self-sufficient Bangladesh.

After the announcement of the budget, the fodder daily products market! Vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, rice and pulses have increased the price of everyday products! As seen in the budget as a whole; The budget in the agricultural sector is very low! In a country where about 70 to 80 percent of the people are involved in agriculture, the allocation on agriculture cannot be imagined to be so low. Experts believe that if development in agriculture is not possible then food famine in the country may happen.

That is, there is no allocation in agriculture! The condition of farmers is very bad! Day by day is getting worse and worse! Because the costs of the agricultural sector are increasing; Medicines, fertilizers, pesticides have increased in price. Earlier, it was enough to buy medicine for 500 rupees. Now it is seen that 500 Tk medicine has become 800 to 900 Tk. The labor which used to be available for 300 taka, is now not even available for 500 taka. The farmer now calculates from the beginning to the last harvest fork, the farmer is becoming lazy.

In such a situation, the government has not increased the budget in the agriculture sector. If the government does not increase this budget for agriculture, then the plight of farmers will continue and the financial condition of farmers will become worse. If this continues, the farmers will be severely deprived.

There is still time to increase the allocation to agriculture, otherwise the farmers will leave farming and find other ways. Farmers now have only one demand? The government should increase the allocation of agriculture sector satisfactorily. Then farmers and farmers' interests will survive. Agriculture-related experts believe that only then will the reflection of the agriculture-friendly government be reflected.

The writer is a, Agriculture and Environment Specialist, Dhaka.