Agriculture Minister Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said the government will extend all support for exporting potato, urging the growers to produce improved potato varieties to enhance its export volume.

  He said enormous scope of boosting production of potato prevails in Barind area due to its soil texture and climatic condition. So, farmers can grasp this opportunity to increase potato production, he said.   The minister made the observation while visiting the Agriconcern Exportable Potato Production Project in Malarmore and Haripur areas in Tanore Upazila of the district yesterday afternoon.

  Dr Razzaque said the country doesn't have lack of high yielding potato varieties as many improved varieties had already been imported from abroad.   He also stressed large-scale promotion of biorational pest management reducing usages of toxic chemical pesticides and insecticides.

   Field-level extension and research officials should discharge their duties with highest sincerity and honesty for disseminating the information about modern methods and technologies to the farmers to increase production, he opined.

  The minister mentioned that the government has attached highest priority on the agriculture sector and the field level officials and researchers should take the responsibilities of reaching the government's services to the farmers' doorsteps accurately.

   Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension Benzir Alam, Director Sirajul Islam, Chairman of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority Begum Akhtar Jahan, Executive Director Engineer Abdur Rashid and Chairman of
Agriconcern Company Limited Sheikh Abdul Kader were present on the occasion.