Farmers to get loans to get machinery
The government is taking initiatives to supply loans to farmers to get agricultural machinery, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque said yesterday.
The minister said various agricultural equipment, including incorporate harvesters and reapers, are being given to farmers with 50-60 % subsidy in various regions.
"But even after supplying subsidy, a farmer has to shell out Tk 10-15 lakh to get a combine harvester. In many cases, the farmer cannot buy the machine with this sum of money. The same is true of other agricultural machinery," he stated.
Therefore, initiatives are being taken up to provide loans from various banking institutions on easy terms so that farmers can purchase agricultural implements, he said while addressing a virtual ending up in the concerned stakeholders to expedite agricultural mechanisation from the conference room of the ministry.
"Our target is to create agricultural machinery locally in phases. At the moment, most of the equipment should be imported from abroad. You want to reduce it. Furthermore, we are emphasising on native manufacturing of extra parts and repair factories to improve employment at the local level," he said.
The minister called after the suppliers and importers of agricultural instruments to come forward in this regard.
At the interacting with, the suppliers and importers of agricultural machinery demanded bank loans for them. In addition they urged the government to provide loans to farmers and distribute agricultural instruments to tiny village business owners to expedite the mechanisation of agriculture.
The minister even more said today's government under the leadership of Primary Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken and implemented various initiatives to modernise and generate agriculture successful through mechanisation.
"The Tk 3,020 crore agricultural mechanisation job is a unique example of this. You will have a fresh revolution in agriculture in the united states," he added.
