President Calls for Stronger Farm Marketing to Ensure Fair Prices
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for a stronger agricultural marketing system to ensure farmers receive fair prices and better returns for their produce. He made the call while meeting a delegation from the Bangladesh Farmers’ Association at Bangabhaban.
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In a Nutshell
- President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called for an effective agricultural marketing system so farmers can receive fair prices and better returns for their produce.
- He urged farmers to establish a national representative body that rises above party affiliation, ideology and differing views.
- The government has allocated Tk3,000 crore to a scheme designed to support fair agricultural prices and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
- The Bangladesh Farmers’ Association pressed for interest-free loans, crop insurance, affordable farm inputs and stronger representation in relevant local bodies.
Why It Matters
The call comes as the government expands its Farmer Card programme, launched on April 14 as part of the BNP’s election commitments. In its pre-pilot phase, 22,065 farmers received Tk2,500 each, while cardholders were promised access to fair-priced inputs and irrigation, easier loans, subsidies, insurance, training, weather and market information, crop advice, and fair-market access.
The FY2026-27 budget earmarked Tk1,062.5 crore to distribute 42.5 lakh Farmer Cards across 100 upazilas, with the programme intended to expand nationwide gradually.
What We Think
The Farmer Card could help farmers access public support and market information more directly. But a card alone cannot secure fair prices: farmers also need reliable storage, processing capacity, transport links and competitive buyers so they are not forced to sell immediately after harvest at distressed prices. That is where the president’s proposal for a stronger marketing system matters. The card can link farmers to services, but the fair-price promise will depend on whether the wider supply chain works in their favour.