Govts committed to farmers on agri production: Minister

Hyderabad, Apr 3 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy today said the Union and the State Governments were totally dedicated to the farming community with a view to increase agricultural production.

Addressing the Round Table Session on 'Sharing of Experiences on Food Management System in India and Bangladesh' as part of training course on 'Income, Price and Nutrition' organised by the Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University in collaboration with the FAO, he said the country achieved self-sufficiency in food production except in edible oils and pulses.

Three decades ago India had to import foodgrains and even milk powder. However, with pro-active farm policies of the Union and State Governments, use of latest technology and efforts of agricultural scientists, India was in a position to produce sufficent food grains.

Mr Reddy said the training course in food management would help both India and Bangladesh to exchange views on latest technologies to increase agricultural production.

Bangladesh Joint Secretary and Director General (Food Planning and Monitoring) Pranab Chakraborty said sharing of experiences on food management system in India and Bangladesh was a timely venture in the backdrop of soaring foodgrain prices and decreasing exportable stock in the world market.

With more than 143 million people, Bangladesh was totally dependent on rice as its staple food.

In fiscal 2007-08, the country had an initial production target of 33 million tonnes of foodgrain. But almost 2.5 million tonne of Aman rice was damaged due to flood and cyclone.

Even with a bumper crop of Boro rice, which would be harvested in May, the country would have to procure about four million tonne of foodgrains even as food aid was decreasing by the day.

Mr Chakraborty said under an agreement with India, Bangladesh expected to procure five million tonne of rice.

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