Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid has said the government is developing a nationwide database of farmers and crops to improve production planning and prevent middlemen from exploiting agricultural card holders.
He made the remarks on Saturday while responding to questions from journalists after a meeting with officials of the Agriculture Department at the Chattogram Circuit House.
The minister said the database would identify which crops were being grown in different regions, allowing the government to better match production with market demand.
"If there is an oversupply of potatoes in a particular area, we will be able to inform farmers about the demand. Consequently, they will be able to adjust their production to meet demand. If there is equilibrium between supply and demand, middlemen will not be able to take advantage," he said.
He also said the government was considering establishing mini cold storage facilities at the union level. The facilities would be powered by solar energy under a plan proposed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Reaffirming the government's commitment to supporting farmers, the minister said it had already decided to waive agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000 for the poorest farmers.
Officials from the Agriculture Department attended the meeting.
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