No fertiliser crisis, nearly 13 lakh tonnes in stock: Minister

Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid on Wednesday said there is no fertiliser crisis in the country as nearly 13 lakh tonnes of fertiliser are currently in stock, compared to 12 lakh tonnes during the same period last year.

“Last time, during this season, the government had 12 lakh tonnes of fertiliser in stock. At this moment, we have close to 13 lakh tonnes in stock in our warehouses,” he said in Parliament.

The minister made the statement while responding to a notice calling attention to matters of urgent public importance raised by National Citizen Party (NCP) lawmaker Akhter Hossen (Rangpur-5) under Rule 71 of the House, drawing attention to alleged syndication, mismanagement and irregularities in fertiliser distribution.

About the stock of fertiliser, Aminur said, “What I am saying is the truth, the truth and the truth.”

Akhter Hossen, in his notice, alleged that an unscrupulous syndicate and distribution mismanagement have created an artificial fertiliser crisis across the country despite repeated claims of adequate government stocks.

He called for breaking the syndicate, cancelling the licences of dishonest dealers, taking exemplary punitive measures and introducing a digital card-based distribution system to ensure that farmers receive fertiliser at fair prices directly.

Following the notice, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal said fertiliser dealerships still exist in the names of deceased dealers and that people from other unions or even different districts continue to hold dealerships in some areas.

He said he has also checked the situation in his own constituency and found similar problems.

The minister said the government has already formulated the Integrated Policy on Fertiliser Dealer Appointment and Fertiliser Distribution, 2026 to make the fertiliser distribution system more farmer-friendly.

Under the new policy, three dealers will be appointed in each union or municipality, he said.

Aminur said there are currently two dealers in each union who are known as master dealers, while the new policy provides for appointing another dealer in every union.

He said there are also ward-based dealers, with some large unions having as many as 16 dealers because of their extensive farmland and large number of farmers.

The minister said changes have also been introduced in the dealer appointment process and a list of dealers accused of various irregularities and violations of the policy is being prepared. “Disciplinary action will be taken against the accused dealers in accordance with the policy,” he said.

He said future dealer appointments and fertiliser distribution will strictly follow the provisions of the 2026 integrated policy and that suitable persons will be appointed as dealers.

Aminur said applications have already been invited for appointing one additional dealer in each union and the deadline, originally set for September 3, has been extended to September 10.

“Applications will reach the central level through the upazila and district administrations within September 10,” he said.

The minister also urged all lawmakers to remain vigilant about any mismanagement in the distribution and sale of fertiliser in their respective constituencies.

“If you keep your eyes and ears open in this regard, I think these wrongdoers will be forced to stop their misdeeds very quickly,” he said. -UNB