Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque today directed the agriculture officials to prepare workplans to do more research to increase oilseed production in order to reduce its import dependence.
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The minister gave the order while speaking at a workshop organised by the Agricultural Research Foundation at the auditorium of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council in Dhaka’s Farmgate area.
Razzaque said edible oil imports cost more than $2 billion a year as 90 per cent of the cooking ingredient is imported.
“We have to see if we can produce even half of the imports. It is necessary to determine the locations where more mustard can be produced.”
“Though oilseeds are being produced in different char areas, including Patuakhali, we need to find out where these crops can be grown as additional crops without compromising the production of paddy. At the same time, we need to do more research.”
He also said the cropping system of the oilseed crops needs to be developed so that its production increases rapidly. “If this can be done, it will be possible to produce 40 per cent of the demand for edible oil locally in the next three to four years.”
