Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque yesterday said the government is planning to conduct mobile courts during the Irri-Boro season, sown in December-January period and harvested in April-May which contributes 51 percent of the total rice production, in attempt to curb any fertilizer crisis.
“Initially the mobile court will be conducted continuously for 30 days and then it would be administered during the whole Boro season,” he said.
The minister made this comment while briefing to the journalists after reviewing the overall fertilizer situation at the Agriculture Ministry’s conference room here this morning.
Punitive action immediately will be taken against the fertilizer dealer, traders and retailers who will try to sell the fertilizer in exorbitant price after spreading rumour or creating artificial crisis, said the minister.
Regarding the fertilizer stock, he said the country has adequate stock all types of fertilizer against the demand as overall urea fertilizer during December is over 3,01902 tonnes while country’s urea stock stands at 8,32,000 tonnes that is over five lakh tonnes compare to the demand during the peak fertilizer season.
The country has 1.92 lakh tonnes triple super phosphate (TSP) against the demand of 1.14 lakh tonnes while the stock of Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) is 5.96 lakh tonnes against the demand of over 2.88lakh tonnes.
The stock of muriate of potash (MoP) is 3.12 lakh tonnes while its demand during December is only 1.29 lakh tonnes, he said. Even the overall fertilizer stock compare to the corresponding period in last year is more than the exact demand.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, State Minister for Industries Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Senior Agriculture Secretary Meshbahul Islam, Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) Chairman, Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and Bangladesh Fertilizer Association (BFA) leaders, among others, attended the review meeting.
