SUNS 4347 Thursday 17 December 1998
BANGLADESH: SEED IMPORTS SPARK OUTRAGE
Dhaka, Dec 15 (IPS/Tabibul Islam) -- The Bangladesh government's decision to import hybrid rice seeds from India and China has raised questions and sparked controversies in different quarters.
A section of agricultural scientists and political leaders, and farmers in some areas have strongly opposed the import of hybrid rice seeds. They argue that use of foreign seeds which haven't been tested to local conditions would destroy local farmers.
Four private companies were allowed to import seeds to augment food production and recoup loss of crops in the devastating flood of August and September this year.
The four companies are Advanced Chemical Industries Ltd., Ganges Development Corporation, Mallika Seed Co., and Mcdonald Bangladesh Pvt. Ltd. Earlier under pressure the Grameen Bank had backed out of an arrangement with the U.S based transnational Monsanto to distribute seeds.
At least a third of imports from China and India have arrived, and been distributed, and critics fear the imports will make farmers dependent on hybrid rice for planting, as seeds cannot be collected for sowing.
Moreover, the imported seeds are more expensive - one kg of hybrid rice seed costs at least 200 takas (more than 4 dollars) as against 10 takas (roughly 20 U.S cents) for one kg of locally grown HGV seed.
The import without quarantine has also drawn sharp criticism from agricultural scientists and researchers. "This is absolutely against the biodiversity conservation strategy and bio-safety regulations," says Dr Abdul Aziz, professor in the Botany Department, Dhaka University.
Agronomists say hybrid rice variety has no doubt greater potential - in general hybrid rice variety can give 20 to 30 percent more yield than HGV - but development and use are quite complicated, cumbersome and time consuming.
Agronomists say the mere use of hybrid rice seeds would not help increase production. It requires measured and timely application but the overwhelming majority of peasant cultivators are illiterate.
Dr Aziz says any hybrid seed released or introduced must be tested by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) at least for three consecutive years. Unfortunately, the DAE has tested it for one year only and results indicated susceptibility to pests and pathogens, he points out.
Many of the field level officers of DAE and farmers of different districts of Bangladesh have expressed dismay over the poor performance of imported hybrid rice seeds. Plants grown with the imported hybrid rice seeds are vulnerable to large constant care and nursing, farmers say.
Dr Mohammed Ali Fakir, a professor of the Department of Plant Pathology, Bangladesh Agriculture University, warns against the use of imported hybrid rice seeds without analysing the cost benefit ratio of production and testing the reactions of the hybrid rice varieties to diseases.
Insects and related agro-ecological conditions critically would be suicidal for the entire crop production of the country. It would also break down the backbone of the poor farmers, he cautions.
Dr Fakir is asking the Bangladesh government to abandon the programme of importing hybrid rice seeds for commercial production in the best wisdom and interest of the nation. He calls for developing the country's need-based research suited to local condition be it inbred or hybrid or may be both.
Some leaders of the main opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) joined the race in bitterly criticising the government for the import of hybrid rice seeds.
BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiya says the import of hybrid rice seeds is designed to make farmers permanently dependent.
Bhuiya insists local varieties could be improved to raise productivity in the country's Rice Research Institute and other institutions. He accuses the government of sidetracking the opinions of farm experts while going ahead with seed imports.
Speaking at a recent seminar in Dhaka, organised by the Agriculturists Association of Bangladesh, some experts argued seed imports were a necessity. But soil and climate conditions of seeds must be examined before imports, they advise.
The issue was debated in the Bangladesh Parliament late last month, and BNP members accused the government of selling out to Indian seed companies.
Refuting the allegation, Food and Agriculture Minister Begum Motia Chowdhury said rice seeds were imported by the BNP when it was in power. And the current imports were only a fraction of the country's needs and posed no threat, she argued.
The National Seed Board, the highest decision making body, allowed the imports on the condition that there would be technology transfer and the seeds could be produced locally in three years.
But the mass circulation English-language daily, 'Bangladesh Observer', urged, what people need are seeds "not tied to companies, affordable and usable for future sowing."