130 rural women get Tk 65-lakh milk production loan

Some 130 rural women received bank loan worth Taka 65 lakh at five percent interest rate for purchasing tender-aged female cattle in order to boost milk production through rearing those.

Rajshahi Branch of National Bank Limited (NBL) organized the loan distribution programme to the field of milk production and artificial insemination at Mandoil Govt. Primary School playground under Godagari Upazila of the district yesterday.

Chairman of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority Dr Akram Hossain Chwdhury attended and addressed the ceremony as chief guest with NBL Regional Head Ali Haider Mourtoza in the chair.

NBL Managing Director Shariful Islam, General Manager of Bangladesh Bank Asim Kumar Mazumder and its Deputy General Manager Sheikh Halim Uddin Shah, NBL Branch Manager Rezwanul Haque and Upazila Animal Resource Officer Dr Saiful Islam also spoke.

"This is a unique scheme as we usually give fund to the banks at 5 per cent interest rate and they add 4 or 5 per cent more. So the farmers had to repay loan with 9 or 10 per cent interest rate.

But this time the finance ministry will subsidize the interest added by the banks," said BB General Manager Asim Kumar Mazumder.

Government has also liberalized its policies to encourage the growth of dairy sector in Bangladesh by introducing tax holiday, subsidy in electricity and also incentives for export.

"Children will get nutrition and women will be empowered if dairy farming is developed substantially in our countryside", he added.

In his remarks, Dr Akram Chowdhury says the country is now producing one-third dairy production out of total demand. The government imports powder milk valued Tk 4,000 crore every year to meet the demand.

There is no substitute of improving rural economy and ensuring supply of dairy milk for vast majority of the population and reduce the import of powder milk substantially, said Dr Chawdhury.

Private sectors should be given priority on dairy production with low interest bank loans, encouraging public and private sector partnerships and investments, strengthening cooperation between private organizations, NGOs with government sector.

The price of milk should be fixed at a reasonable level and milk marketing system should be improved through the intervention by the government.

Milk preservation facilities should be created for the farmer to ensure the marketing of their product.

Powdered milk imports should be reduced to encourage dairying in Bangladesh. National Milk Development Co-operation should be established.

Source: BSS.