Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed has proposed to allocate Tk27,224 crore for the agriculture sector for FY26.
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presented the proposed budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, amounting to Tk7,89,999 crore, in a televised speech on Monday.
The proposed agriculture outlay is Tk2,528 crore more than the revised budget for FY25.
In the budget of FY25, the allocation was Tk27,214 crore and was reduced to Tk24,696 crore in the revised budget for FY25.
“Food security is a major concern in this densely populated country. To increase agricultural production, steps have been taken to develop climate-resilient crop varieties and improve farming technology, supply of agricultural inputs at affordable prices, expansion of irrigation areas, development of marketing systems, and agricultural mechanization,” he said.
He said that subsidies are being provided where necessary and exports of agricultural products are also encouraged after meeting domestic demand.
In the current fiscal year, agricultural inputs and cash incentives have been provided under the Agricultural Rehabilitation Assistance program.
Small and marginal farmers affected by floods have also been provided assistance from this program, he said.
The adviser said that to ensure an adequate supply of emergency agricultural inputs like fertilizers, the government has expedited the payment of subsidies for both imported and domestically produced fertilizers, covering the trade gap and the payment of arrears in fertilizer subsidies.
In this connection, he said subsidies for fertilizers and agricultural inputs will be continued in the next fiscal year.
The adviser, however, said that the present government had taken initiatives to rationalize the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to protect biodiversity, maintain soil quality and keep the environment free from pollution.
“To increase the use of organic fertilizer, farmer groups and NGOs are also being involved in production, marketing and extension of organic fertilizers,” he said.
He said that the use of environment-friendly technologies is being promoted to prevent the wastage of water during irrigation and better use of surface water and the sustainable use of groundwater.
Salehuddin said different initiatives, including strengthening cold storage and cold chain infrastructures, developing an agricultural transportation system and creating a comprehensive database of stakeholders in the agriculture supply chain, have been taken to strengthen the overall agricultural production system.
