BARI gives fruit saplings among farmers

The Pomology Division of the Horticulture Research Center of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) distributed fruit saplings and grafting among farmers  and held a day-long training workshop on planting and taking care of fruit saplings and grafting at the seminar room of the Horticultural Research Center in Gazipur on Monday. Some 1,900 saplings and grafting of 10 different kinds of fruits, developed by the BARI were distributed among 100 farmers of different areas of Gazipur district on the occasion.

BARI Director General Dr Abul Kalam Azad was present as chief guest on the occasion and distributed the saplings and grafting among farmers. Director of the Institute of Horticultural Research Dr Abeda Khatun presided over the function, while Director (Research) Dr Md Abdul Wohab and Director (Planning and Evaluation) Md Habibur Rahman Sheikh were present as special guests. Chief Scientific Officer of the Pomology Division Dr Babul Chandra Sarkar delivered the welcome speech and presented the keynote paper.

Principal Scientific Officer of the division Dr A S M Mesbah Uddin gave the vote of thanks. Heads of the different divisions, scientists and officers, among others, were present on the occasion. BARI Director General Dr Abul Kalam Azad said, "Most of the fruits grown in our country are native. These are not bad but we are trying to make better varieties from these local varieties.

At the same time we have been able to develop high quality hybrid varieties of different fruits with the help of modern technology." We have to import large quantities of fruits from abroad every year, he said, adding that therefore, we want to reduce the dependency on imported fruits by producing improved varieties of fruits.