A total of 3,44,55,000 tonnes of rice was produced in the country in the current fiscal year, up by 2.37 lakh tonnes over the previous year's level, Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury told the House on Thursday. Replying to a question from treasury bench member Nurul Islam Bsc, she said a total of 3,42,18,000 MT rice was produced in 2008-09 fiscal year. Responding to another question from ruling party lawmaker Benazir Ahmed, the agriculture minister quoting SPARSO said 50,500 hectors of Boro paddy was inundated by the onrush of hilly water this year.

 
But according to BADC, she said, 48,437 hectors of Boro paddy was submerged by the onrush of hilly water and the quantity of damaged paddy is 1.21 lakh MT.

Answering to another question from Awami League lawmaker Syed Mohsin Ali, she said to overcome the losses of Boro paddy, the government has taken initiatives to distribute urea, TSP and MOP fertilizers to 3,46,100 Aus farmers in 51 districts, including six districts of Sylhet region. Matia Chowdhury told lone independent lawmaker Md Fazlul Azim that according to Food Planning and Monitoring Unit under the Department of Food the demand for food in 2009-2010 fiscal year was 2,67,2000 MT.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension, she said, the country produced 354.94 lakh MT food in 2009-10 fiscal year.

Responding to a question from treasury bench member Begum Tohura Ali, the agriculture minister said 1,87,20,000 MT Boro rice was produced in the current fiscal year against the target of 1.87 crore MT.