Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Dr. Beduram Bhusal, has said the development of agriculture and livestock could contribute to economic progress.
He argued that the policies and programs that the government brought have signaled that initiatives could be taken for the development of agriculture. Once agricultural and livestock production were increased, it would help replace imports.
In the past, we exported food grains, but are bound to import them now. It is our priority to reduce and replace the import, he viewed, adding that the government is committed to increasing export by modernizing agriculture.
Moreover, Terai is fertile land, so the arrangement of adequate irrigation helps boost agricultural production.
Minister Bhusal was speaking at an interaction and felicitation program organized at Bhumikastan Municipality on Saturday. He stated that currently 1.3 million hectares of arable land are left unused in Nepal, where the government is planning collective and cooperative farming.
The unused land would be cultivated collectively so that it would be cost-effective and help modernize farming. Mechanization is equally imperative, he underscored.
The price of rice, maize, wheat, and other agro products would be fixed before harvest. Timely fixing of price would be a huge relief to the producers.
On the occasion, the Mayor of Bhumikasthan Municipality, Jhabilal Thapa, said the agricultural programs to increase the production of cereals, fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs should be launched.
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