The government has decided to provide easy term loans to the dairy farm owners and shrimp cultivators.
The dairy farmers will get the fund facilities under the “one house one farm” project, while the shrimp farmers will get loans from the Equity and Entrepreneurship Fund (EEF).
The decision was taken at a meeting in Dhaka yesterday, attended by officials from Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association (BFFEA), the state-owned banks, private banks, non-bank financial institutions and the fisheries and livestock ministry.
Fisheries Minister Muhammed Syedul Hoque presided over the meeting.
“We have to increase production of fishes and dairy to meet the demands for nutrition for the countrymen,” said Mohammed Syedul Hoque while talking about the decision.
He said to enhance the production of fishes and dairy products, there is no alternative of easy term loans for the small entrepreneurs and marginal farmers while the government should concentrate on the issue.
“Though Bangladesh has become self-reliant on food security, we cannot ensure nutrition for the common people,” he added.
The minister also asked the other scheduled banks to provide loans to eligible farmers under the agriculture loans at lower interest rate.
The BFFEA demanded loans at 9% interest but the ministry asked the banks to keep rate between 10%-12%.
BFFEA President Amin Ullah demanded Tk1,000 crore for the farmers, who will cultivate shrimps using semi-intensive methods.
